Proverbs 25

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

1Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that 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.

2The honour of God <FI>is<Fi> to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.

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--<FI> are<Fi> unsearchable.

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

4Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,

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

5Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.

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

6Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.

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 <FI>that<Fi> he hath said to thee, `Come thou up hither,' Than <FI>that<Fi> he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.

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 to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?

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

9Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,

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

10Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.

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

11Apples of gold in imagery of silver, <FI>Is<Fi> the word spoken at its fit times.

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.

12A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, <FI>Is<Fi> the wise reprover to 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 a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, <FI>So is<Fi> a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.

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

14Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, <FI>Is<Fi> a man boasting himself in 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-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a 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.

16Honey thou hast found--eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated <FI>with<Fi> it, and hast vomited 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.

17Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated <FI>with<Fi> thee, and have hated 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, <FI>Is<Fi> the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.

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

19A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, <FI>Is<Fi> the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.

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

20Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, <FI>Is as<Fi> vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on 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 he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.

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

22For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.

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

23A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue--indignant faces.

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

24Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than <FI>with<Fi> a woman of contentions, and a house of company.

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

25<FI> As<Fi> cold waters for a weary soul, So <FI>is<Fi> a good report 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 spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, <FI>Is<Fi> the righteous falling before the wicked.

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

27The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour--honour.

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

28A city broken down without walls, <FI>Is<Fi> a man without restraint over his spirit!