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