Proverbs 25
1 Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
2 The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honors business.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.
6 Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
7 For better [that] he hath said to thee, 'Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.
for [it is] better for you that it should be said, Come up to me, than that [one] should humble you in the presence of the prince; speak of that which your eyes have seen.
8 Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest you repent at last.
9 Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
Whenever your friend shall reproach you, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
10 Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
lest your friend continue to reproach you, so your quarrel and enmity shall not depart, but shall be to you like death. Favour and friendship set [a man] free, which do you keep for yourself, lest you be made liable to reproach; but take heed to your ways peaceably.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
[As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to an obedient ear.
13 As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.
As a fall of snow in the time of harvest is good against heat, so a faithful messenger [refreshes] those that send him; for he helps the souls of his employers.
14 Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
As winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
15 By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
In longsuffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
16 Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
Having found honey, eat [only] what is enough, lest haply you be filled, and vomit it up.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
Enter sparingly into your friend's house, lest he be satiated with your company, and hate you.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
[As] a club, and a dagger, and a pointed arrow, so also is a man who bears false witness against his friend.
19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
20 Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
As vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts the heart. As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man hurts the heart.
21 If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
If your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
22 For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
for so doing you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward you [with] good.
23 A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
[It is] better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
As if one should stop a well, and corrupt a spring of water, so [is it] unseemly for a righteous man to fall before an ungodly man.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
[It is] not good to eat much honey; but it is right to honor venerable sayings.
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.
