Proverbs 25:1–29:27

¹These also are Solomon’s proverbs that were copied 

by the men of King Hezekiah of Judah. 

Advice for Kings

²It is the glory of God to hide things 

but the glory of kings to investigate them. 

³⸤Like⸥ the high heavens and the deep earth, 

so the mind of kings is unsearchable. 

⁴Take the impurities out of silver, 

and a vessel is ready for the silversmith to mold. 

⁵Take a wicked person away from the presence of a king, 

and justice will make his throne secure. 

⁶Do not brag about yourself in front of a king 

or stand in the spot that belongs to notable people, 

⁷because it is better to be told, “Come up here,” 

than to be put down in front of a prince 

whom your eyes have seen. 

⁸Do not be in a hurry to go to court. 

What will you do in the end if your neighbor disgraces you? 

⁹Present your argument to your neighbor, 

but do not reveal another person’s secret. 

¹⁰Otherwise, when he hears about it, he will humiliate you, 

and his evil report about you will never disappear. 

¹¹⸤Like⸥ golden apples in silver settings, 

⸤so⸥ is a word spoken at the right time. 

¹²⸤Like⸥ a gold ring and a fine gold ornament, 

⸤so⸥ is constructive criticism to the ear of one who listens. 

¹³Like the coolness of snow on a harvest day, 

⸤so⸥ is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him: 

He refreshes his masters. 

¹⁴⸤Like⸥ a dense fog or a dust storm, 

⸤so⸥ is a person who brags about a gift that he does not give. 

¹⁵With patience you can persuade a ruler, 

and a soft tongue can break bones. 

¹⁶When you find honey, eat only as much as you need. 

Otherwise, you will have too much and vomit. 

¹⁷Do not set foot in your neighbor’s house too often. 

Otherwise, he will see too much of you and hate you. 

¹⁸⸤Like⸥ a club and a sword and a sharp arrow, 

⸤so⸥ is a person who gives false testimony against his neighbor. 

¹⁹⸤Like⸥ a broken tooth and a lame foot, 

⸤so⸥ is confidence in an unfaithful person in a ⸤time of⸥ crisis. 

²⁰⸤Like⸥ taking off a coat on a cold day 

or pouring vinegar on baking soda, 

so is singing songs to one who has an evil heart. 

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him some food to eat, 

and if he is thirsty, give him some water to drink. 

²²⸤In this way⸥ you will make him feel guilty and ashamed, 

and the Lord will reward you. 

²³⸤As⸥ the north wind brings rain, 

so a whispering tongue brings angry looks. 

²⁴Better to live on a corner of a roof 

than to share a home with a quarreling woman. 

²⁵⸤Like⸥ cold water to a thirsty soul, 

so is good news from far away. 

²⁶⸤Like⸥ a muddied spring and a polluted well, 

⸤so⸥ is a righteous person who gives in to a wicked person. 

²⁷Eating too much honey is not good, 

and searching for honor is not honorable. 

²⁸⸤Like⸥ a city broken into ⸤and⸥ left without a wall, 

⸤so⸥ is a person who lacks self-control. 

26TH CHAPTER

All about Fools

¹Like snow in summertime and rain at harvest time, 

so honor is not right for a fool. 

²Like a fluttering sparrow, 

like a darting swallow, 

so a hastily spoken curse does not come to rest. 

³A whip is for the horse, 

a bridle is for the donkey, 

and a rod is for the backs of fools. 

⁴Do not answer a fool with his own stupidity, 

or you will be like him. 

⁵Answer a fool with his own stupidity, 

or he will think he is wise. 

⁶Whoever uses a fool to send a message 

cuts off his own feet and brings violence upon himself. 

⁷⸤Like⸥ a lame person’s limp legs, 

so is a proverb in the mouths of fools. 

⁸Like tying a stone to a sling, 

so is giving honor to a fool. 

⁹⸤Like⸥ a thorn stuck in a drunk’s hand, 

so is a proverb in the mouths of fools. 

¹⁰⸤Like⸥ many people who destroy everything, 

so is one who hires fools or drifters. 

¹¹As a dog goes back to its vomit, 

⸤so⸥ a fool repeats his stupidity. 

¹²Have you met a person who thinks he is wise? 

There is more hope for a fool than for him. 

¹³A lazy person says, 

“There’s a ferocious lion out on the road! 

There’s a lion loose in the streets!” 

¹⁴⸤As⸥ a door turns on its hinges, 

so the lazy person turns on his bed. 

¹⁵A lazy person puts his fork in his food. 

He wears himself out as he brings it back to his mouth. 

¹⁶A lazy person thinks he is wiser than seven people who give a sensible answer. 

¹⁷⸤Like⸥ grabbing a dog by the ears, 

⸤so⸥ is a bystander who gets involved in someone else’s quarrel. 

¹⁸Like a madman who shoots flaming arrows, arrows, and death, 

¹⁹so is the person who tricks his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” 

²⁰Without wood a fire goes out, 

and without gossip a quarrel dies down. 

²¹⸤As⸥ charcoal fuels burning coals and wood fuels fire, 

so a quarrelsome person fuels a dispute. 

²²The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily, 

and they go down into a person’s innermost being. 

²³⸤Like⸥ a clay pot covered with cheap silver, 

⸤so⸥ is smooth talk that covers up an evil heart. 

²⁴Whoever is filled with hate disguises it with his speech, 

but inside he holds on to deceit. 

²⁵When he talks charmingly, do not trust him 

because of the seven disgusting things in his heart. 

²⁶His hatred is deceitfully hidden, 

but his wickedness will be revealed to the community. 

²⁷Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. 

Whoever rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. 

²⁸A lying tongue hates its victims, 

and a flattering mouth causes ruin. 

27TH CHAPTER

All about Life

¹Do not brag about tomorrow, 

because you do not know what another day may bring. 

²Praise should come from another person and not from your own mouth, 

from a stranger and not from your own lips. 

³A stone is heavy, and sand weighs a lot, 

but annoyance caused by a stubborn fool is heavier than both. 

⁴Anger is cruel, and fury is overwhelming, 

but who can survive jealousy? 

⁵Open criticism is better than unexpressed love. 

⁶Wounds made by a friend are intended to help, 

but an enemy’s kisses are too much to bear. 

⁷One who is full despises honey, 

but to one who is hungry, 

even bitter food tastes sweet. 

⁸Like a bird wandering from its nest, 

so is a husband wandering from his home. 

⁹Perfume and incense make the heart glad, 

but the sweetness of a friend is a fragrant forest.^b

¹⁰Do not abandon your friend or your father’s friend. 

Do not go to a relative’s home when you are in trouble. 

A neighbor living nearby is better than a relative far away. 

¹¹Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad 

so that I can answer anyone who criticizes me. 

¹²Sensible people foresee trouble and hide. 

Gullible people go ahead ⸤and⸥ suffer. 

¹³Hold on to the garment of one who guarantees a stranger’s loan, 

and hold responsible the person 

who makes a loan in behalf of a foreigner. 

¹⁴Whoever blesses his friend early in the morning with a loud voice— 

his blessing is considered a curse. 

¹⁵Constantly dripping water on a rainy day is like a quarreling woman. 

¹⁶Whoever can control her can control the wind. 

He can even pick up olive oil with his right hand. 

¹⁷⸤As⸥ iron sharpens iron, 

so one person sharpens the wits of another. 

¹⁸Whoever takes care of a fig tree can eat its fruit, 

and whoever protects his master is honored. 

¹⁹As a face is reflected in water, 

so a person is reflected by his heart. 

²⁰Hell and decay are never satisfied, 

and a person’s eyes are never satisfied. 

²¹The crucible is for refining silver and the smelter for gold, 

but a person ⸤is tested⸥ by the praise given to him. 

²²If you crush a stubborn fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, 

⸤even then⸥ his stupidity will not leave him. 

²³Be fully aware of the condition of your flock, 

and pay close attention to your herds. 

²⁴Wealth is not forever. 

Nor does a crown last from one generation to the next. 

²⁵⸤When⸥ grass is cut short, the tender growth appears, 

and vegetables are gathered on the hills. 

²⁶Lambs ⸤will provide⸥ you with clothing, 

and the money from the male goats will buy a field. 

²⁷There will be enough goat milk to feed you, 

to feed your family, 

and to keep your servant girls alive. 

28TH CHAPTER

¹A wicked person flees when no one is chasing him, 

but righteous people are as bold as lions. 

²When a country is in revolt, it has many rulers, 

but only with a person who has understanding and knowledge 

will it last a long time. 

³A poor person who oppresses poorer people 

is like a driving rain that leaves no food. 

⁴Those who abandon ⸤God’s⸥ teachings praise wicked people, 

but those who follow ⸤God’s⸥ teachings oppose wicked people. 

⁵Evil people do not understand justice, 

but those who seek the Lord understand everything. 

⁶Better to be a poor person who has integrity 

than to be rich and double-dealing. 

⁷Whoever follows ⸤God’s⸥ teachings is a wise son. 

Whoever associates with gluttons disgraces his father. 

⁸Whoever becomes wealthy through ⸤unfair⸥ loans and interest 

collects them for the one who is kind to the poor. 

⁹Surely the prayer of someone who refuses 

to listen to ⸤God’s⸥ teachings is disgusting. 

¹⁰Whoever leads decent people into evil will fall into his own pit, 

but innocent people will inherit good things. 

¹¹A rich person is wise in his own eyes, 

but a poor person with understanding sees right through him. 

¹²When righteous people triumph, there is great glory, 

but when wicked people rise, people hide themselves. 

¹³Whoever covers over his sins does not prosper. 

Whoever confesses and abandons them receives compassion. 

¹⁴Blessed is the one who is always fearful ⸤of sin⸥, 

but whoever is hard-hearted falls into disaster. 

¹⁵⸤Like⸥ a roaring lion and a charging bear, 

⸤so⸥ a wicked ruler is a threat to poor people. 

¹⁶A leader without understanding taxes ⸤his people⸥ heavily, 

but those who hate unjust gain will live longer. 

¹⁷A person burdened with the guilt of murder 

will be a fugitive down to his grave. 

No one will help him. 

¹⁸Whoever lives honestly will be safe. 

Whoever lives dishonestly will fall all at once. 

¹⁹Whoever works his land will have plenty to eat. 

Whoever chases unrealistic dreams will have plenty of nothing. 

²⁰A trustworthy person has many blessings, 

but anyone in a hurry to get rich will not escape punishment. 

²¹Showing partiality is not good, 

because some people will turn on you even for a piece of bread. 

²²A stingy…