Proverbs 25

¹These are also 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 honour of kings is to search out a matter.

³The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁴Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

⁵Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

⁶Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:

⁷For 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 have seen.

⁸Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

⁹Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

¹⁰Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

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

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

¹³As 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.

¹⁴Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

¹⁵By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

¹⁶Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

¹⁷Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

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

¹⁹Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

²⁰As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

²¹If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

²²For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

²³The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

²⁴It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

²⁵As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁶A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

²⁸He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

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.