Proverbs 25
1 These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed.
2 The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honors business.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a thing.
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 is unsearchable.
4 Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
5 Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.
take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of the great;
7 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.
for better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes see.
8 Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest you repent at last.
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
9 Whenever your friend shall reproach you, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour, but reveal not the secret of another;
10 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.
lest he that heareth [it] disgrace thee, and thine evil report turn not away.
11 [As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
[As] apples of gold in pictures of silver, is a word spoken in season.
12 In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to an obedient ear.
An ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, is a wise reprover upon 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 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 winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
Clouds and wind without rain, [so] is a man that boasteth himself of a false gift.
15 In longsuffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 Having found honey, eat [only] what is enough, lest haply you be filled, and vomit it up.
Hast thou found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be surfeited therewith, and vomit it.
17 Enter sparingly into your friend's house, lest he be satiated with your company, and hate you.
Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee and hate 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 a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour.
19 The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
A broken tooth, and a tottering foot, is confidence in an unfaithful [man] in the day of trouble.
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.
[As] he that taketh off a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a sad heart.
21 If your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 for so doing you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward you [with] good.
for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and Jehovah shall reward thee.
23 The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
The north wind bringeth forth rain, and the angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 [It is] better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman, and a house in common.
25 As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
[As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news 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 troubled fountain, and a defiled well, is a righteous [man] that giveth way before the wicked.
27 [It is] not good to eat much honey; but it is right to honor venerable sayings.
It is not good to eat much honey; and to search into weighty matters is [itself] a weight.
28 As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is [as] a city broken down, without walls.
