Proverbs 25
1 These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
These [are] also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.
[It is] the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings [is] to search out a matter.
3 The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.
The heaven for hight, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings [is] unsearchable.
4 Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.
Take away the wicked [from] before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great:
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great [men]:
7 For it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler.
For better [it is] that it be said to thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thy eyes have seen.
8 Do not be quick to go to law about what you have seen, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbour has put you to shame?
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.
9 Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:
Debate thy cause with thy neighbor [himself]; and reveal not a secret to another:
10 Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.
Lest he that heareth [it] put thee to shame, and thy infamy turn not away.
11 A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.
A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in pictures of silver.
12 Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.
[As] an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [so is] a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master.
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, [so is] a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 As clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.
Whoever boasteth himself of a false gift [is like] clouds and wind without rain.
15 A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled with it, and vomit it.
17 Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor's house; lest he be weary of thee, and [so] hate thee.
18 One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow.
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor [is] a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad heart.
[As] he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre; so [is] he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water:
If thy enemy shall hunger, give him bread to eat; and if he shall thirst, give him water to drink:
22 For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward.
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will reward thee.
23 As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.
The north wind driveth away rain: so [doth] an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.
[It is] better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 As cold water to a tired soul, so is good news from a far country.
[As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, so [is] good news from a far country.
26 Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers.
A righteous man falling down before the wicked [is as] a turbid fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 It is not good to take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured.
[It is] not good to eat much honey: so [for men] to search their own glory [is not] glory.
28 He whose spirit is uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into.
He that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls.
