Proverbs 25–29

Chapter 25

These 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.

Chapter 26

As snow in summer, and rain in harvest, so glory is not seemly for a fool.

²As a bird flying to other places, and a sparrow going here or there: so a curse uttered without cause shall come upon a man.

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

⁴Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be made like him.

⁵Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.

⁶He that sendeth words by a foolish messenger, is lame of feet and drinketh iniquity.

⁷As a lame man hath fair legs in vain: so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.

⁸As he that casteth a stone into the heap of Mercury: so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

⁹As if a thorn should grow in the hand of a drunkard: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰Judgment determineth causes: and he that putteth a fool to silence, appeaseth anger.

¹¹As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly.

¹²Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him.

¹³The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lioness in the roads.

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

¹⁵The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and it grieveth him to turn it to his mouth.

¹⁶The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences.

¹⁷As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man’s quarrel.

¹⁸As he is guilty that shooteth arrows, and lances unto death.

¹⁹So is the man that hurteth his friend deceitfully: and when he is taken, saith: I did it in jest.

²⁰When the wood faileth, the fire shall go out: and when the talebearer is taken away, contentions shall cease.

²¹As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up strife.

²²The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, but they reach to the innermost parts of the belly.

²³Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthen vessel adorned with silver dross.

²⁴An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit.

²⁵When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart.

²⁶He that covereth hatred deceitfully, his malice shall be laid open in the public assembly.

²⁷He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him.

²⁸A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin.

Chapter 27

Boast not for to morrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.

²Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth: a stranger, and not thy own lips.

³A stone is heavy, and sand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.

⁴Anger hath no mercy: nor fury, when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?

⁵Open rebuke is better than hidden love.

⁶Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.

⁷A soul that is full shall tread upon the honeycomb: and a soul that is hungry shall take even bitter for sweet.

⁸As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that leaveth his place.

⁹Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.

¹⁰Thy own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not: and go not into thy brother’s house in the day of thy affliction. Better is a neighbour that is near than a brother afar off.

¹¹Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.

¹²The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.

¹³Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.

¹⁴He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.

¹⁵Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.

¹⁶He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call the oil of his right hand.

¹⁷Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

¹⁸He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.

¹⁹As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water, so the hearts of men are laid open to the wise.

²⁰Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied.

²¹As silver is tried in the fining-pot, and gold in the furnace: so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth. The heart of the wicked seeketh after evils, but the righteous heart seeketh after knowledge.

²²Though thou shouldst bray a fool in the mortar, as when a pestle striketh upon sodden barley, his folly would not be taken from him.

²³Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:

²⁴For thou shalt not always have power: but a crown shall be given to generation and generation.

²⁵The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.

²⁶Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.

²⁷Let the milk of the goats be enough for thy food, and for the necessities of thy house, and for maintenance for thy handmaids.

Chapter 28

The wicked man fleeth, when no man pursueth: but the just, bold as a lion, shall be without dread.

²For the sins of the land many are the princes thereof: and for the wisdom of a man, and the knowledge of those things that are said, the life of the prince shall be prolonged.

³A poor man that oppresseth the poor, is like a violent shower, which bringeth a famine.

⁴They that forsake the law, praise the wicked man: they that keep it, are incensed against him.

⁵Evil men think not on judgment: but they that seek after the Lord, take notice of all things.

⁶Better is the poor man walking in his simplicity, than the rich in crooked ways.

⁷He that keepeth the law, is a wise son: but he that feedeth gluttons, shameth his father.

⁸He that heapeth together riches by usury and loan, gathereth them for him that will be bountiful to the poor.

⁹He that turneth away his ears from hearing the law, his prayer shall be an abomination.

¹⁰He that deceiveth the just in a wicked way, shall fall in his own destruction: and the upright shall possess his goods.

¹¹The rich man seemeth to himself wise: but the poor man that is prudent shall search him out.

¹²In the joy of the just there is great glory: when the wicked reign, men are ruined.

¹³He that hideth his sins, shall not prosper: but he that shall confess, and forsake them, shall obtain mercy.

¹⁴Blessed is the man that is always fearful: but he that is hardened in mind shall fall into evil.

¹⁵As a roaring lion, and a hungry bear, so is a wicked prince over the poor people.

¹⁶A prince void of prudence shall oppress many by calumny: but he that hateth covetousness, shall prolong his days.

¹⁷A man that doth violence to the blood of a person, if he…