Proverbs 25

Similitudes and Instructions

1 These also are ^aproverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.

2 It is the glory of God to ^bconceal a matter,
But the glory of ^ckings is to search out a matter.
3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the ▼

▼Lit dross

, ^eimpurities from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the ^fsmith;
5 Take away the ^gwicked before the king,
And his ^hthrone will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not boast in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the same place ▼

▼Lit of

as great people;
7 For ^jit is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

8 Do not go out ^khastily to ▼

▼Lit contend

argue your case;
▼

▼Lit Lest

Otherwise, what will you do in ▼

▼Lit its

the end,
When your neighbor humiliates you?
9 ▼

▼Lit Contend

, ^pArgue your case with your neighbor,
And ^qdo not reveal the secret of another,
10 Or one who hears it will put you to shame,
And the evil report about you will not ▼

▼Lit return

pass away.

11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver,
Is a ^sword spoken at ▼

▼Lit its time

the proper time.
12 Like ▼

▼Or a nose ring

an ^vearring of gold and a ^wjewelry piece of ^xfine gold,
Is a wise person who offers rebukes to a ^ylistening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the ▼

▼Lit day

time of harvest
Is a ^aafaithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Like ^abclouds and ^acwind without rain
Is a person who boasts ▼

▼Lit in a gift of falsehood

of his gifts falsely.
15 Through ▼

▼Lit length of anger

, ^afpatience a ruler may be persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks bone.
16 Have you ^agfound honey? Eat only ▼

▼Lit your sufficiency

what you need,
So that you do not have it in excess and vomit it.
17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become ▼

▼Lit surfeited with

weary of you and hate you.
18 Like a club, a ^ajsword, and a sharp ^akarrow
Is a person who gives ^alfalse testimony against his neighbor.
19 Like a bad tooth and ▼

▼Lit a slipping foot

an unsteady foot
Is confidence in a ^antreacherous person in time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on ▼

▼I.e., natron

soda,
Is one who sings songs to ▼

▼Lit an evil

a troubled heart.
21 ^aqIf ▼

▼Lit one who hates you

your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For you will ▼

▼Lit snatch up

heap burning coals on his head,
And ^atthe Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings rain,
And a ▼

▼Lit tongue of secrecy

, ^avgossiping tongue brings an angry face.
24 It is ^awbetter to live on a corner of the roof,
Than ▼

▼Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association

in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 Like cold water to a weary soul,
So is ^aygood news from a distant land.
26 Like a ^aztrampled spring and a ▼

▼Lit ruined

polluted well,
So is a righteous person who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey,
Nor is it glory to ^bbsearch out ▼

▼Lit their

one’s own glory.
28 Like a ^bdcity that is broken into and without walls
So is a person ^bewho has no self-control over his spirit.