Proverbi 25
1 Ecco altri proverbi di Salomone, raccolti dalla gente di Ezechia, re di Giuda.
Here are more wise sayings/words that Solomon [wrote]. Some men who worked for Hezekiah, the king of Judah, copied them [from a scroll that Solomon had written].
2 E’ gloria di Dio nascondere le cose; ma la gloria dei re sta nell’investigarle.
[We consider] God to be great because he (acts in mysterious ways/does things that we cannot understand); [we consider] kings to be great because they explain things.
3 L’altezza del cielo, la profondità della terra e il cuore dei re non si possono investigare.
[It is not possible for anyone to measure] how high the sky is or how deep the earth/ocean is; likewise [SIM], it is not possible for us to know [all] that kings are thinking.
4 Togli dall’argento le scorie, e ne uscirà un vaso per l’artefice;
[If workers] burn out the impure bits that are in silver, a man who makes things from silver can make something beautiful from the silver.
5 togli l’empio dalla presenza del re, e il suo trono sarà reso stabile dalla giustizia.
[Similarly, if] wicked [advisors] are taken away from a king, his government will remain secure, because [the king will be able to] act justly.
6 Non fare il vanaglorioso in presenza del re, e non ti porre nel luogo dei grandi;
When you stand in front of a king, do not try to (impress him/honor yourself) and do not (act like you are important/ask to sit where important people sit; )
7 poiché è meglio ti sia detto: “Sali qui”, anziché essere abbassato davanti al principe che gli occhi tuoi hanno veduto.
it is better if someone tells you to sit closer [to the king] than for [someone to tell you], while the king is listening, to sit further away in order that someone who is more important [may sit closer to the king].
8 Non t’affrettare a intentar processi, che alla fine tu non sappia che fare, quando il tuo prossimo t’avrà svergognato.
Do not quickly go to a court [to tell the judge about] something that you have seen, because another witness may later [say something that proves that you are wrong, and as a result] you will be disgraced/ashamed. If that happens, (what will you do?/you will not know what to do.) [RHQ]
9 Difendi la tua causa contro il tuo prossimo, ma non rivelare il segreto d’un altro,
If you and someone else think differently about some matter, settle it between yourselves, and do not tell others any secret [that he has told you].
10 onde chi t’ode non t’abbia a vituperare, e la tua infamia non si cancelli più.
If others find out that you have told secrets, you will be ashamed, and from that time on, (you will have a bad reputation/people will think badly about you).
11 Le parole dette a tempo son come pomi d’oro in vasi d’argento cesellato.
Something that is said that is [very] appropriate is [as delightful as seeing] [SIM] gold apples/ornaments in a silver bowl.
12 Per un orecchio docile, chi riprende con saviezza è un anello d’oro, un ornamento d’oro fino.
When a wise person rebukes/warns someone [SYN] who is willing to listen, that is [as valuable as] [SIM] a gold ring or a gold chain.
13 Il messaggero fedele, per quelli che lo mandano, è come il fresco della neve al tempo della mèsse; esso ristora l’anima del suo padrone.
A messenger who (is reliable/tells someone else exactly what he was told to say) refreshes [the spirits of] his bosses who sent him like [SIM] (snow/cold water) refreshes [the ground] at the time that [people] harvest crops.
14 Nuvole e vento, ma punta pioggia; ecco l’uomo che si vanta falsamente della sua liberalità.
When someone promises to give a gift to us but never gives it, [that disappoints us] as much as [SIM] clouds and wind that come but do not bring any rain.
15 Con la pazienza si piega un principe, e la lingua dolce spezza dell’ossa.
If someone keeps requesting a ruler long enough to do something, he will [often] agree to do it; similarly, by speaking [MTY] gently we can [often] convince [others that what we say is right] [IDM].
16 Se trovi del miele, mangiane quanto ti basta; che, satollandotene, tu non abbia poi a vomitarlo.
If you find some honey, do not eat a lot of it, because doing that may cause you to vomit.
17 Metti di rado il piede in casa del prossimo, ond’egli, stufandosi di te, non abbia ad odiarti.
Do not go to your neighbor’s house very often [to talk with him]; if you go [very] often, he will get tired of listening to you and start to hate you.
18 L’uomo che attesta il falso contro il suo prossimo, è un martello, una spada, una freccia acuta.
To falsely accuse others [in court] is like [SIM] [attacking them with] a war-club or a sword or a sharp arrow.
19 La fiducia in un perfido, nel dì della distretta, è un dente rotto, un piede slogato.
Depending on unreliable people when you have troubles is [as bad] as [trying to eat when] you have a bad/hurting tooth or [trying to walk when] your foot is crippled.
20 Cantar delle canzoni a un cuor dolente è come togliersi l’abito in giorno di freddo, e mettere aceto sul nitro.
Singing to someone who is depressed [just causes him to feel worse]; it is like [SIM] taking off clothes on a very cold day or like putting vinegar on a wound.
21 Se il tuo nemico ha fame, dagli del pane da mangiare: se ha sete, dagli dell’acqua da bere;
If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink;
22 ché, così, raunerai dei carboni accesi sul suo capo, e l’Eterno ti ricompenserà.
doing that will cause them to feel ashamed [IDM], and Yahweh will reward you for doing that.
23 Il vento del nord porta la pioggia, e la lingua che sparla di nascosto fa oscurare il viso.
When wind blows from the right direction, it will rain; [similarly] [SIM], if we gossip about others, that causes them to look at us very angrily.
24 Meglio abitare sul canto d’un tetto, che in una gran casa con una moglie rissosa.
It is better to live ([alone/by yourself]) in the corner of an attic/housetop than to live inside the house with a wife who is [always] nagging.
25 Una buona notizia da paese lontano è come acqua fresca a persona stanca ed assetata.
Receiving good news from a country far away refreshes our spirits like [SIM] cold water refreshes us when we are very thirsty.
26 Il giusto che vacilla davanti all’empio, è come una fontana torbida e una sorgente inquinata.
When a righteous/good person (gives in/yields) to wicked [people], that is [as bad] as [SIM] a spring that becomes muddied or a fountain that becomes polluted.
27 Mangiar troppo miele non è bene ma scrutare cose difficili è un onore.
It is not good to eat too much honey, and trying to get people to praise you is also not good.
28 L’uomo che non si sa padroneggiare, è una città smantellata, priva di mura.
People who (cannot control their tempers/quickly become very angry) [are unable to defend their behavior]; that is like [having] a city without a wall around it, [with the result that no one can defend it].
