Proverbs 25

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

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

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

2It is the glory ofGod to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a thing.

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

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

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

4Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:

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

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

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

6Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, and stand not 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.

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 see.

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?

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.

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

9Debate thy cause with thy neighbour, but reveal not the secret of another;

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

10lest he that heareth [it] disgrace thee, and thine evil report turn not away.

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

11[As] apples of gold in pictures of silver, is a word spoken in season.

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.

12An ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, is a wise reprover upon an attentive ear.

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.

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.

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

14Clouds and wind without rain, [so] is a man that boasteth himself of a false gift.

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

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

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.

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

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.

17Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee and hate thee.

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

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

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

19A broken tooth, and a tottering foot, is confidence in an unfaithful [man] in the day of trouble.

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

20[As] he that taketh off a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs 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:

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

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

22for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and Jehovah shall reward thee.

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

23The north wind bringeth forth rain, and the angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

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

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

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

25[As] cold waters to a thirsty 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.

26A troubled fountain, and a defiled well, is a righteous [man] that giveth way before the wicked.

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

27It is not good to eat much honey; and to search into weighty matters is [itself] a weight.

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

28He that hath no rule over his own spirit is [as] a city broken down, without walls.