Proverbs 25

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¹These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

²It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.

³The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.

⁴Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.

⁵Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.

⁶Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great:

⁷For 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.

⁸Do 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?

⁹Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:

¹⁰Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.

¹¹A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.

¹²Like 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.

¹³As 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.

¹⁴As clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.

¹⁵A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.

¹⁶If 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.

¹⁷Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.

¹⁸One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow.

¹⁹Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot.

²⁰Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad heart.

²¹If your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water:

²²For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward.

²³As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.

²⁴It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.

²⁵As cold water to a tired soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁶Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers.

²⁷It is not good to take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured.

²⁸He whose spirit is uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into.

Proverbs 25

¹These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

⁴Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner;

⁵Take away the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men;

⁷for it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

⁸Do not be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?

⁹Debate your case with your neighbor, and do not betray the confidence of another;

¹⁰lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart.

¹¹A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

¹²As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.

¹³As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

¹⁴As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.

¹⁵By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.

¹⁶Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.

¹⁷Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he be weary of you, and hate you.

¹⁸A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

¹⁹Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth, or a lame foot.

²⁰As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, or vinegar on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink:

²²for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

²³The north wind brings forth rain: so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face.

²⁴It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

²⁵Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁶Like a muddied spring, and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey; nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.

²⁸Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.