Proverbs 25
1 These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, collected.
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 it is the glory of kings to search out a matter.
3 Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
As the heavens for their height, And as the earth for its depth, So is the heart of kings 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 founder;
5 Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.
Take away the wicked man from the presence of the king, And his throne will be established by righteousness.
6 Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
Put not thyself forth in the presence of the king, Nor set thyself 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 is it that one should say to thee, “Come up hither!” Than that he should put thee in a lower place, In the presence of the prince whom thine eyes behold.
8 Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest you repent at last.
Go not forth hastily to engage in a suit, Lest thou know not what to do in the end of it, When thine adversary hath put thee to shame.
9 Whenever your friend shall reproach you, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
Maintain thy cause with thine adversary, But reveal not another's secret;
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 depart not from thee.
11 [As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
A word spoken in season Is like apples of gold in figured-work of silver.
12 In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to an obedient ear.
As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a 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 the cold of snow in the time of harvest, So is a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the spirit of his masters.
14 As winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
As clouds and wind without rain, So is the man that boasteth falsely of giving.
15 In longsuffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
By long forbearing is a prince appeased; 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 what is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up.
17 Enter sparingly into your friend's house, lest he be satiated with your company, and hate you.
Let thy foot be seldom in the house of thy friend, Lest he be surfeited with 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 battle-hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, Is the man who beareth false witness against his neighbor.
19 The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
As a broken tooth, and a wavering foot, So is trust in an unfaithful man in time 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 on a cold day, As vinegar upon nitre, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy 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 wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD will reward thee.
23 The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
As the north wind bringeth forth rain, So a backbiting tongue maketh an angry countenance.
24 [It is] better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.
Better is it to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than with a quarrelsome woman in a large house.
25 As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
As cold water to the thirsty, 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.
As a troubled fountain, and as a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man falling before the wicked.
27 [It is] not good to eat much honey; but it is right to honor venerable sayings.
To eat much honey is not good; So the search of high things is weariness.
28 As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.
As a city broken through and without a wall, So is he that hath no rule over his spirit.
