Hezekiah’s Collection

25 These too are proverbs of Solomon, y

which the men of Hezekiah, z king of Judah, copied.

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

and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.

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

so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.

4 Remove impurities from silver, b

and a vessel will be produced c for a silversmith. d

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

and his throne will be established in righteousness. f

6 Don’t brag about yourself before the king,

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

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

than to demote you in plain view of a noble. g h

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

Otherwise, what will you do afterward

if your opponent j humiliates you?

9 Make your case with your opponent k

without revealing another’s secret; l

10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,

and you’ll never live it down. m

11 A word spoken at the right time

is like gold apples on a silver tray. n o

12 A wise correction to a receptive ear p

is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.

13 To 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

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

is like clouds and wind without rain. r

15 A ruler can be persuaded through patience,

and a gentle tongue can break a bone. s

16 If you find honey, t eat only what you need;

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

17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house;

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

18 A man giving false testimony against his neighbor v

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

19 Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time

is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot. x

20 Singing songs to a troubled heart

is like taking off clothing on a cold day

or like pouring vinegar on soda. y z

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

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

22 for you will heap burning coals on his head,

and the Lord will reward you. b

23 The north wind produces rain,

and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

24 Better to live on the corner of a roof

than to share a house with a nagging wife. c

25 Good news from a distant land

is like cold water to a parched throat. d e

26 A righteous person who yields to the wicked f

is like a muddied spring or a polluted well. g

27 It is not good to eat too much honey h

or to seek glory after glory. i j

28 A man who does not control his temper k

is like a city whose wall is broken down. l