XXV. * These are also aproverbs of Solomon, which bthe men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

2  It is the glory of God cto conceal a thing:

But the honour of kings is dto search out a matter.

3  The heaven for height, and the earth for depth,

And the heart of kings * is unsearchable.

4  eTake away fthe dross from the silver,

And there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

5  eTake away gthe wicked from before the king,

And hhis throne shall be established in righteousness.

6  * Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king,

And istand not in the place of great men:

7  jFor better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither;

Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince

kWhom thine eyes have seen.

8  lGo not forth hastily to strive,

Lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof,

When thy neighbour hath llput thee to shame.

9  mDebate thy cause with thy neighbour himself;

And * discover not a secret to another:

10  Lest he that heareth it nput thee to shame,

And thine infamy turn not away.

11  oA word * fitly spoken

Is like papples of gold in qpictures of silver.

12  As ran earring of gold, and an sornament of tfine gold,

uSo is a wise reprover upon an xobedient ear.

13  As the cold of snow in the time of harvest,

So is ya faithful messenger to them that send him:

For he refresheth the soul of his masters.

14  zWhoso boasteth himself * of a false gift

Is like aclouds and wind without rain.

15  bBy clong forbearing is a dprince persuaded,

And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

16  eHast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee,

Lest thou be filled therewith, and fvomit it.

17  * Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house;

Lest he be * weary of thee, and so hate thee.

18  A man that gbeareth false witness against his neighbour

Is a maul, and ha sword, and a isharp arrow.

19  Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble

Is like a broken tooth, and ka foot out of joint.

20  As he that ltaketh away a garment in cold weather,

And as vinegar upon mnitre,

So is he nthat singeth songs to a heavy heart.

21  oIf thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;

And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

22  For thou shalt pheap qcoals of fire upon his head,

And the Lord shall reward thee.

23  * The north wind driveth away rain:

So doth an angry countenance a sbackbiting tongue.

24  tIt is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,

tThan with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

25  As cold waters uto a thirsty soul,

So is wgood news from a far country.

26  A righteous man xfalling down before the wicked

Is as a ytroubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

27  zIt is not good to eat much honey:

aSo for men bto search their own bcglory is not glory.

28  dHe that hath no rule over his own spirit

Is like a city that is ebroken down, and without walls.