Pro 25 | HCSB | STEP | These too are proverbs of Solomon , which the men of Hezekiah , king of Judah , copied .

Proverbs 25

Hezekiah’s Collection

1 These too are proverbs of Solomon, ^a
which the men of Hezekiah, ^b king of Judah, copied.

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter ^c
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, ^d
and a vessel will be produced ^{▼▼Lit will come out; Ex 32:24} for a silversmith. ^f
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, ^g
and his throne will be established in righteousness. ^h

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. ^{▼▼Lit you before a noble whom your eyes see
,} ^j

8 Don’t take a matter to court hastily. ^k
Otherwise, what will you do afterward
if your opponent ^{▼▼Or neighbor} humiliates you?
9 Make your case with your opponent ^{▼▼Or neighbor}
without revealing another’s secret; ⁿ
10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,
and you’ll never live it down. ^{▼▼Lit and your evil report will not turn back}

11 A word spoken at the right time
is like gold apples on a silver tray. ^{▼▼Or like apples of gold in settings of silver
,} ^q
12 A wise correction to a receptive ear ^r
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. ^s

14 The man who boasts about a gift that does not exist
is like clouds and wind without rain. ^t
15 A ruler can be persuaded through patience,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone. ^u
16 If you find honey, ^v eat only what you need;
otherwise, you’ll get sick from it and vomit. ^w
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 ^x
is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow. ^y
19 Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time
is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot. ^z

20 Singing songs to a troubled heart
is like taking off clothing on a cold day
or like pouring vinegar on soda. ^{▼▼Lit natron, or sodium carbonate
,} ^ab

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; ^ac
22 for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you. ^ad

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. ^ae
25 Good news from a distant land
is like cold water to a parched throat. ^{▼▼Or a weary person
,} ^ag
26 A righteous person who yields to the wicked ^ah
is like a muddied spring or a polluted well. ^ai
27 It is not good to eat too much honey ^aj
or to seek glory after glory. ^{▼▼Lit seek their glory, glory
,} ^al
28 A man who does not control his temper ^am
is like a city whose wall is broken down. ^an