Proverbs 25
1 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].
These, too, are parables of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transferred.
2 [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.
It is to the glory of God to conceal a word, and it is to the glory of kings to investigate speech.
3 [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.
Heaven above, and earth below, and the heart of kings are each unsearchable.
4 [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.
Take away the tarnish from silver, and a most pure vessel will go forth.
5 [Similarly, if] wicked [advisors] are taken away from a king, his government will remain secure, because [the king will be able to] act justly.
Take away impiety from the face of the king, and his throne shall be made firm by justice.
6 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; )
Do not appear glorious before the king, and do not stand in the place of the great.
7 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].
For it is better that it should be said to you, “Ascend to here,” than that you should be humbled before the prince.
8 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]
The things that your eyes have seen, do not offer hastily in a quarrel, lest afterward you may not be able to make amends, when you have dishonored your friend.
9 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].
Argue your case with your friend, and do not reveal the secret to an outsider,
10 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).
lest perhaps he may insult you, when he has heard it, and he might not cease to reproach you. Grace and friendship free a man; preserve these for yourself, lest you fall under reproach.
11 Something that is said that is [very] appropriate is [as delightful as seeing] [SIM] gold apples/ornaments in a silver bowl.
Whoever speaks a word at an opportune time is like apples of gold on beds of silver.
12 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.
Whoever reproves the wise and obedient ear is like an earring of gold with a shining pearl.
13 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.
Just like the cold of snow in a time of harvest, so also is a faithful messenger to him who sent him: he causes his soul to rest.
14 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.
A man who boasts and does not fulfill his promises is like clouds and wind, when rain does not follow.
15 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].
By patience, a leader shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.
16 If you find some honey, do not eat a lot of it, because doing that may cause you to vomit.
You have discovered honey; eat what is sufficient for you, lest perhaps, being filled up, you may vomit it.
17 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.
Withdraw your feet from the house of your neighbor, lest, when he has had his fill, he may hate you.
18 To falsely accuse others [in court] is like [SIM] [attacking them with] a war-club or a sword or a sharp arrow.
A man who speaks false testimony against his neighbor is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.
19 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.
Whoever sets his hopes on the unfaithful in a day of anguish is like a rotten tooth and weary foot,
20 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.
and like one who loosens his garment in cold weather. Whoever sings verses to a wicked heart is like vinegar on baking soda. Just like a moth to a garment, and a worm to wood, so too does the sadness of a man do harm to the heart.
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink;
If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 doing that will cause them to feel ashamed [IDM], and Yahweh will reward you for doing that.
For you will gather hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will repay you.
23 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.
The north wind brings forth the rain, and a sorrowful face brings forth a detracting tongue.
24 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.
It is better to sit in a corner of the attic, than with an argumentative woman and in a shared house.
25 Receiving good news from a country far away refreshes our spirits like [SIM] cold water refreshes us when we are very thirsty.
Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so too are good reports from a far away land.
26 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.
The just falling down before the impious is like a fountain stirred up by feet and like a corrupted spring.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey, and trying to get people to praise you is also not good.
Just as whoever eats too much honey, it is not good for him, so also whoever is an investigator of what is majestic will be overwhelmed by glory.
28 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].
Just like a city lying in the open and without surrounding walls, so also is a man who is unable to restrain his own spirit in speaking.
