More Wise Sayings of Solomon

25 These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah.

2  God is honored for what he keeps secret.

Kings are honored for what they can discover.

3  No one can measure the height of the skies or the depth of the earth.

So also no one can understand the mind of a king.

4  Remove the scum from the silver,

so the silver can be used by the silversmith.

5  Remove wicked people from the king’s presence;

then his government will be honest and last a long time.

6  Don’t brag to the king

and act as if you are great.

7  It is better for him to give you a higher position

than to bring you down in front of the prince.

Because of something you have seen,

8  do not quickly take someone to court.

What will you do later

when your neighbor proves you wrong?

9  If you have an argument with your neighbor,

don’t tell other people what was said.

10  Whoever hears it might shame you,

and you might not ever be respected again.

11  The right word spoken at the right time

is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl.

12  A wise warning to someone who will listen

is as valuable as gold earrings or fine gold jewelry.

13  Trustworthy messengers refresh those who send them,

like the coolness of snow in the summertime.

14  People who brag about gifts they never give

are like clouds and wind that give no rain.

15  With patience you can convince a ruler,

and a gentle word can get through to the hard-headed.

16  If you find honey, don’t eat too much,

or it will make you throw up.

17  Don’t go to your neighbor’s house too often;

too much of you will make him hate you.

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.

24  It is better to live in a corner on the roof n

than inside the house with a quarreling wife.

25  Good news from a faraway place

is like a cool drink when you are tired.

26  A good person who gives in to evil

is like a muddy spring or a dirty well.

27  It is not good to eat too much honey,

nor does it bring you honor to brag about yourself.

28  Those who do not control themselves

are like a city whose walls are broken down.

26 It shouldn’t snow in summer or rain at harvest.

Neither should a foolish person ever be honored.

2  Curses will not harm someone who is innocent;

they are like sparrows or swallows that fly around and never land.

3  Whips are for horses, and harnesses are for donkeys,

so paddles are good for fools.

4  Don’t answer fools when they speak foolishly,

or you will be just like them.

5  Answer fools when they speak foolishly,

or they will think they are really wise.

6  Sending a message by a foolish person

is like cutting off your feet or drinking poison.

7  A wise saying spoken by a fool

is as useless as the legs of a crippled person.

8  Giving honor to a foolish person

is like tying a stone in a slingshot.

9  A wise saying spoken by a fool

is like a thorn stuck in the hand of a drunk.

10  Hiring a foolish person or anyone just passing by

is like an archer shooting at just anything.

11  A fool who repeats his foolishness

is like a dog that goes back to what it has thrown up.

12  There is more hope for a foolish person

than for those who think they are wise.

13  The lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the road!

There’s a lion in the streets!”

14  Like a door turning back and forth on its hinges,

the lazy person turns over and over in bed.

15  Lazy people may put their hands in the dish,

but they are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.

16  The lazy person thinks he is wiser

than seven people who give sensible answers.

17  Interfering in someone else’s quarrel as you pass by

is like grabbing a dog by the ears.

18  Like a madman shooting

deadly, burning arrows

19  is the one who tricks a neighbor

and then says, “I was just joking.”

20  Without wood, a fire will go out,

and without gossip, quarreling will stop.

21  Just as charcoal and wood keep a fire going,

a quarrelsome person keeps an argument going.

22  The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food;

people like to gobble them up.

23  Kind words from a wicked mind

are like a shiny coating on a clay pot.

24  Those who hate you may try to fool you with their words,

but in their minds they are planning evil.

25  People’s words may be kind, but don’t believe them,

because their minds are full of evil thoughts.

26  Lies can hide hate,

but the evil will be plain to everyone.

27  Whoever digs a pit for others will fall into it.

Whoever tries to roll a boulder down on others will be crushed by it.

28  Liars hate the people they hurt,

and false praise can ruin others.

27 Don’t brag about tomorrow;

you don’t know what may happen then.

2  Don’t praise yourself. Let someone else do it.

Let the praise come from a stranger and not from your own mouth.

3  Stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,

but a complaining fool is worse than either.

4  Anger is cruel and destroys like a flood,

but no one can put up with jealousy!

5  It is better to correct someone openly

than to have love and not show it.

6  The slap of a friend can be trusted to help you,

but the kisses of an enemy are nothing but lies.

7  When you are full, not even honey tastes good,

but when you are hungry, even something bitter tastes sweet.

8  A person who leaves his home

is like a bird that leaves its nest.

9  The sweet smell of perfume and oils is pleasant,

and so is good advice from a friend.

10  Don’t forget your friend or your parent’s friend.

Don’t always go to your family for help when trouble comes.

A neighbor close by is better than a family far away.

11  Be wise, my child, and make me happy.

Then I can respond to any insult.

12  The wise see danger ahead and avoid it,

but fools keep going and get into trouble.

13  Take the coat of someone who promises to pay a stranger’s loan,

and keep it until he pays what the stranger owes.

14  If you loudly greet your neighbor early in the morning,

he will think of it as a curse.

15  A quarreling wife is as bothersome

as a continual dripping on a rainy day.

16  Stopping her is like stopping the wind

or trying to grab oil in your hand.

17  As iron sharpens iron,

so people can improve each other.

18  Whoever tends a fig tree gets to eat its fruit,

and whoever takes care of his master will receive honor.

19  As water reflects your face,

so your mind shows what kind of person you are.

20  People will never stop dying and being destroyed,

and they will never stop wanting more than they have.

21  A hot furnace tests silver and gold,

and people are tested by the praise they receive.

22  Even if you ground up a foolish person like grain in a bowl,

you couldn’t remove the foolishness.

23  Be sure you know how your sheep are doing,

and pay attention to the condition of your cattle.

24  Riches will not go on forever,

nor do governments go on forever.

25  Bring in the hay, and let the new grass appear.

Gather the grass from the hills.

26  Make clothes from the lambs’ wool,

and sell some goats to buy a field.

27  There will be plenty of goat’s milk

to feed you and your family

and to make your servant girls healthy.