Proverbs 25
1 These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
Also these are the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah the king of Judah have collected.
2 The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honors business.
It is the honor of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
3 Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
As are the heavens for height, and the earth is for depth, so should the heart of kings be unsearchable.
4 Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
Take away the dross from the silver, and there will come forth a vessel for the melter.
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 will be firmly established in righteousness.
6 Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
Do not glorify thyself in the presence of the king, and force thyself not into the place of great men;
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 shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince, which thy own eyes have [often] seen.
8 Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest you repent at last.
Do not proceed to a contest hastily, lest [thou know not] what thou wilt have to do at its end, when thy neighbor hath put thee to confusion.
9 Whenever your friend shall reproach you, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
Carry on thy cause with thy neighbor; but lay not open 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 put thee to shame, and thy infamy never be removed.
11 [As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
Like apples of gold among figures of silver is a word spoken in a proper manner.
12 In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to an obedient ear.
As an earring of gold, and a pendant of fine gold, so is a wise reprover toward an ear that listeneth.
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 cooling of snow on a harvest-day, so is a faithful messenger to those that send him; for he refresheth the soul of his master.
14 As winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
Like clouds and wind without rain, so is a man that vaunteth falsely of a gift.
15 In longsuffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh bones.
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 consume too much of it, and have to vomit it forth.
17 Enter sparingly into your friend's house, lest he be satiated with your company, and hate you.
Make thy foot scarce in the house of thy friend: lest he have too much of thee, and so 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 battle-axe, and a sword, and a sharpened arrow is a man that testifieth as a false witness against his neighbor.
19 The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
Like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint, is confidence in a treacherous man in a time of distress.
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 his garment on a cold day, [as] vinegar is upon natron: so is he that singeth songs before an unhappy heart.
21 If your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
If thy 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 though thou gatherest coals of fire upon his head, yet will the Lord repay it unto thee.
23 The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
The north wind bringeth forth rain: so doth secret talking, angry countenances.
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 the corner of a roof, than with a quarrelsome woman even in a roomy house.
25 As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
As cold water is to a fainting soul, so are good news from a far-off 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.
Like a turbid spring and a corrupt fountain, 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.
To eat too much honey is not good: so is it honor to set a limit to men's honor.
28 As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.
Like a city that is broken in, and is without walls: so is the man that hath no control over his spirit.
