²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a thing. ³The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁴Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner: ⁵take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

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

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, but reveal not the secret of another; ¹⁰lest he that heareth it disgrace thee, and thine evil report turn not away.

¹¹As apples of gold in pictures of silver, is a word spoken in season. 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 harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁰As 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 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 Jehovah shall reward thee.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 26

¹As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.

²As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.

³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

⁴Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. ⁵Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

⁶He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh damage. ⁷The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. ⁸As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. ⁹As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.

¹¹As a dog turneth back to its vomit, so a fool repeateth his folly.

¹²Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

¹³The sluggard saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!

¹⁴As the door turneth upon its hinges, so the sluggard upon his bed.

¹⁵The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.

¹⁶A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men that answer discreetly.

¹⁷He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

¹⁸As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, ¹⁹so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?

²⁰Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth. ²¹As coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife. ²²The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

²³Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are as an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

²⁴He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him: ²⁵when his voice is gracious, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart. ²⁶Though his hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.

²⁷Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.

²⁸A lying tongue hateth those that are injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

Read in Logos

Public Domain