Proverbs 25

More Proverbs of Solomon

25These are also proverbs of Solomon which officials of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

²The glory of God^a conceals things,

but the glory of kings searches out things.

³As heaven is to height and the earth is to depth,

so is the heart^b of kings—there is no searching.

⁴Remove the dross from silver,

and it will become a vessel for the smith.

⁵Remove the wicked before a king,

and his throne will be established in righteousness.^c

⁶Do not promote yourself before the king,

and in the place of the great ones do not stand.

⁷For it is better that he say to you, “Ascend here,”

than he humble you before a noble.

What your eyes have seen,

⁸do not hastily bring out to court,

for^d what will you do at its end,

when your neighbor puts you to shame?

⁹Argue your argument with your neighbor himself,

the secret of another do not disclose,

¹⁰lest he who hears shame you

and your ill repute will not end.

¹¹Apples of gold in a setting of silver

is a matter spoken at^e its proper time.

¹²A ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold

is a rebuke of the wise to the ear of a listener.

¹³Like the cold of snow on a day^f of harvest

is a faithful messenger to those who send him,

and the soul^g of his master is refreshed.^h

¹⁴Like clouds and wind when there is no rain,

so too is a man who boasts in a gift of deception.

¹⁵With patienceⁱ a ruler may be persuaded,

and a soft tongue will break a bone.^j

¹⁶If you find honey, eat what is sufficient for you,

lest you have your fill of it and vomit it out.

¹⁷Make your foot scarce in the house of your neighbor,

lest he become weary of you and hate you.

¹⁸Like a club and sword and a sharp arrow

is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.

¹⁹A bad tooth and a lame foot

is the trust of a faithless person in a time^k of trouble.

²⁰Like one who removes a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on natron,^l

is he who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread,

and if thirsty, let him drink water.

²²For coals of fire you will heap upon his head,

and Yahweh will reward you.

²³The wind of the north produces rain,

and a backbiting tongue, angry faces.

²⁴Better to live upon the corner of a roof

than with a woman^m of contention and in a shared house.

²⁵Like cold waterⁿ upon a weary soul,^o

so too is good news from a distant place.

²⁶Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain

is the righteous who gives way before the wicked.

²⁷To eat much honey is not good,

nor is seeking one’s honor^p honorable.

²⁸A breached city where there is no wall

is like a man who has no^q self-control for his spirit.