Proverbs 25:2–27

²It is the glory of God to conceal a matter ^a

and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.

³As the heaven is high and the earth is deep,

so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.

⁴Remove impurities from silver, ^b

and a vessel will be produced ^cfor a silversmith. ^d

⁵Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, ^e

and his throne will be established in righteousness. ^f

⁶Don’t brag about yourself before the king,

and don’t stand in the place of the great;

⁷for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!”

than to demote you in plain view of a noble. ^gh

⁸Don’t take a matter to court hastily. ⁱ

Otherwise, what will you do afterward

if your opponent ^jhumiliates you?

⁹Make your case with your opponent ^k

without revealing another’s secret; ^l

¹⁰otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,

and you’ll never live it down. ^m

¹¹A word spoken at the right time

is like gold apples on a silver tray. ^no

¹²A wise correction to a receptive ear ^p

is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.

¹³To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger

is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;

he refreshes the life of his masters. ^q

¹⁴The man who boasts about a gift that does not exist

is like clouds and wind without rain. ^r

¹⁵A ruler can be persuaded through patience,

and a gentle tongue can break a bone. ^s

¹⁶If you find honey, ^teat only what you need;

otherwise, you’ll get sick from it and vomit. ^u

¹⁷Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house;

otherwise, he’ll get sick of you and hate you.

¹⁸A man giving false testimony against his neighbor ^v

is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow. ^w

¹⁹Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time

is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot. ^x

²⁰Singing songs to a troubled heart

is like taking off clothing on a cold day

or like pouring vinegar on soda. ^yz

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

and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; ^a

²²for you will heap burning coals on his head,

and the Lord will reward you. ^b

²³The north wind produces rain,

and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

²⁴Better to live on the corner of a roof

than to share a house with a nagging wife. ^c

²⁵Good news from a distant land

is like cold water to a parched throat. ^de

²⁶A righteous person who yields to the wicked ^f

is like a muddied spring or a polluted well. ^g

²⁷It is not good to eat too much honey ^h

or to seek glory after glory. ^ij