Proverbs 25

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¹These, too, are parables of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transferred.

²It is to the glory of God to conceal a word, and it is to the glory of kings to investigate speech.

³Heaven above, and earth below, and the heart of kings are each unsearchable.

⁴Take away the tarnish from silver, and a most pure vessel will go forth.

⁵Take away impiety from the face of the king, and his throne shall be made firm by justice.

⁶Do not appear glorious before the king, and do not stand in the place of the great.

⁷For it is better that it should be said to you, “Ascend to here,” than that you should be humbled before the prince.

⁸The things that your eyes have seen, do not offer hastily in a quarrel, lest afterward you may not be able to make amends, when you have dishonored your friend.

⁹Argue your case with your friend, and do not reveal the secret to an outsider,

¹⁰lest perhaps he may insult you, when he has heard it, and he might not cease to reproach you. Grace and friendship free a man; preserve these for yourself, lest you fall under reproach.

¹¹Whoever speaks a word at an opportune time is like apples of gold on beds of silver.

¹²Whoever reproves the wise and obedient ear is like an earring of gold with a shining pearl.

¹³Just like the cold of snow in a time of harvest, so also is a faithful messenger to him who sent him: he causes his soul to rest.

¹⁴A man who boasts and does not fulfill his promises is like clouds and wind, when rain does not follow.

¹⁵By patience, a leader shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.

¹⁶You have discovered honey; eat what is sufficient for you, lest perhaps, being filled up, you may vomit it.

¹⁷Withdraw your feet from the house of your neighbor, lest, when he has had his fill, he may hate you.

¹⁸A man who speaks false testimony against his neighbor is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.

¹⁹Whoever sets his hopes on the unfaithful in a day of anguish is like a rotten tooth and weary foot,

²⁰and like one who loosens his garment in cold weather. Whoever sings verses to a wicked heart is like vinegar on baking soda. Just like a moth to a garment, and a worm to wood, so too does the sadness of a man do harm to the heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

²²For you will gather hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will repay you.

²³The north wind brings forth the rain, and a sorrowful face brings forth a detracting tongue.

²⁴It is better to sit in a corner of the attic, than with an argumentative woman and in a shared house.

²⁵Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so too are good reports from a far away land.

²⁶The just falling down before the impious is like a fountain stirred up by feet and like a corrupted spring.

²⁷Just as whoever eats too much honey, it is not good for him, so also whoever is an investigator of what is majestic will be overwhelmed by glory.

²⁸Just like a city lying in the open and without surrounding walls, so also is a man who is unable to restrain his own spirit in speaking.

Proverbs 25

¹These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias, king of Juda, copied out.

²It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.

³The heaven above and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁴Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel:

⁵Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.

⁶Appear not glorious before the king, and stand not in the place of great men.

⁷For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.

⁸The things which thy eyes have seen, utter not hastily in a quarrel: lest afterward thou mayst not be able to make amends, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.

⁹Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:

¹⁰Lest he insult over thee, when he hath heard it, and cease not to upbraid thee. Grace and friendship deliver a man: keep these for thyself, lest thou fall under reproach.

¹¹To speak a word in due time, is like apples of gold on beds of silver.

¹²As an earring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he that reproveth the wise, and the obedient ear.

¹³As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sent him, for he refresheth his soul.

¹⁴As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfil his promises.

¹⁵By patience a prince shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.

¹⁶Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.

¹⁷Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.

¹⁸A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.

¹⁹To trust in an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,

²⁰And one that looseth his garment in cold weather. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a very evil heart. As a moth doth by a garment, and a worm by the wood: so the sadness of a man consumeth the heart.

²¹If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat: if he thirst, give him water to drink:

²²For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.

²³The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.

²⁴It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop: than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.

²⁵As cold water to a thirsty soul, so are good tidings from a far country.

²⁶A just man falling down before the wicked, is as a fountain troubled with the foot and a corrupted spring.

²⁷As it is not good for a man to eat much honey, so he that is a searcher of majesty shall be overwhelmed by glory.

²⁸As a city that lieth open and is not compassed with walls, so is a man that cannot refrain his own spirit in speaking.