Proverbs 25:18–23
18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.o
19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
or like vinegar poured on a wound,
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coalsp on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.q
23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — English Standard Version (ESV)
18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble
is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
20 Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart
is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,
and like vinegar on soda.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
22 for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour
Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather,
And as vinegar upon nitre,
So is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head,
And the Lord shall reward thee.
23 The north wind driveth away rain:
So doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — New Living Translation (NLT)
18 Telling lies about others
is as harmful as hitting them with an ax,
wounding them with a sword,
or shooting them with a sharp arrow.
19 Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble
is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.
20 Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart
is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather
or pouring vinegar in a wound.
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.
If they are thirsty, give them water to drink.
22 You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 As surely as a north wind brings rain,
so a gossiping tongue causes anger!
Proverbs 25:18–23 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
20 Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — New Century Version (NCV)
18 When you lie about your neighbors,
it hurts them as much as a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting unfaithful people when you are in trouble
is like eating with a broken tooth or walking with a crippled foot.
20 Singing songs to someone who is sad
is like taking away his coat on a cold day
or pouring vinegar on soda.
21 If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him a drink.
22 Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 As the north wind brings rain,
telling gossip brings angry looks.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — American Standard Version (ASV)
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor
Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon soda,
So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head,
And Jehovah will reward thee.
23 The north wind bringeth forth rain:
So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, is a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour.
19 A broken tooth, and a tottering foot, is confidence in an unfaithful man in the day of trouble.
20 As he that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a sad heart.
21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: 22 for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and Jehovah shall reward thee.
23 The north wind bringeth forth rain, and the angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
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.
21 If 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.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
18 A man giving false testimony against his neighbor
is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time
is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.
20 Singing songs to a troubled heart
is like taking off clothing on a cold day
or like pouring vinegar on soda.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind produces rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
18 Like a war club, a sword, or a sharp arrow
is one who bears false witness against a neighbor.
19 Like a bad tooth or a lame foot
is trust in a faithless person in time of trouble.
20 Like vinegar on a wound
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
Like a moth in clothing or a worm in wood,
sorrow gnaws at the human heart.
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat;
and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink;
22 for you will heap coals of fire on their heads,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind produces rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
18 Like a club and sword and a sharp arrow
is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
19 A bad tooth and a lame foot
is the trust of a faithless person in a time of trouble.
20 Like one who removes a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on natron,
is he who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread,
and if thirsty, let him drink water.
22 For coals of fire you will heap upon his head,
and Yahweh will reward you.
23 The wind of the north produces rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry faces.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
18 A man who gives false witness against his neighbor
is like a club, a sword or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting someone who is not faithful when trouble comes
is like a bad tooth or a disabled foot.
20 You may sing songs to a troubled heart.
But that’s like taking a coat away on a cold day.
It’s like pouring vinegar on baking soda.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat.
If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 By doing those things, you will pile up burning coals on his head.
And the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings rain.
And a crafty tongue brings angry looks.
Proverbs 25:18–23 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
18 Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow
Is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
19 Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot
Is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda,
Is he who sings songs to a troubled heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For you will heap burning coals on his head,
And the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.