Pro 25-29 | ESV | STEP | These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied .

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

2 It is the glory of God to ^bconceal things,
but the glory of kings is to ^csearch things out.
3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
so the heart of kings is ^dunsearchable.
4 Take away ^ethe dross from the silver,
and ^fthe smith has material for a vessel;
5 take away ^gthe wicked from the presence of the king,
and his ^hthrone will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
7 for ⁱit is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
What your eyes have seen
8 ^jdo not hastily bring into court,
for ^{▼▼Hebrew or else} what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9 ^lArgue your case with your neighbor himself,
and do not reveal another’s secret,
10 lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.
11 ^mA word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
12 Like ⁿa gold ring or an ornament of gold
is a wise reprover to ^oa listening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
is ^pa faithful messenger to those who send him;
he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Like ^qclouds and wind without rain
is a man who ^rboasts of a gift he does not give.
15 With ^spatience a ruler may be persuaded,
and a soft tongue will break a bone.
16 If you have ^tfound honey, eat ^uonly enough for you,
lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.
17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house,
lest he have his fill of you and hate you.
18 A man who ^vbears false witness against his neighbor
is like a war club, or ^wa sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble
is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
20 Whoever ^xsings songs to a heavy heart
is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,
and like vinegar on soda.
21 ^yIf your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
22 for you will heap ^zburning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
24 ^aaIt is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
25 Like cold water to ^aba thirsty soul,
so is ^acgood news from a far country.
26 Like ^ada muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is ^aenot good to eat much honey,
nor is it glorious to ^afseek one’s own glory. ^{▼▼The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain}
28 A man ^ahwithout self-control
is like ^aia city broken into and left without walls.

Proverbs 26

1 Like snow in summer or ^ajrain in harvest,
so ^akhonor is ^alnot fitting for a fool.
2 Like ^ama sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
^ana curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 ^aoA whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and ^apa rod for the back of fools.
4 ^aqAnswer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
5 ^arAnswer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be ^aswise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and ^atdrinks violence.
7 Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is ^auone who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like ^ava thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard. ^{▼▼Or hires a fool or passersby}
11 Like ^axa dog that returns to his vomit
is ^aya fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is ^azwise in his own eyes?
^baThere is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 ^bbThe sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 ^bcThe sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is ^bdwiser in his own eyes
^bethan seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws ^bffirebrands, arrows, and death
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I am only joking!”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no ^bgwhisperer, ^bhquarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is ^bia quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 ^bjThe words of ^bka whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 ^blLike the ^bmglaze ^{▼▼By revocalization; Hebrew silver of dross} covering an earthen vessel
are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
and harbors deceit in his heart;
25 ^bowhen he speaks graciously, believe him not,
for there are ^bpseven abominations in his heart;
26 though his hatred be covered with deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 ^bqWhoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Proverbs 27

1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
^brfor you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let ^bsanother praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
but ^bta fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
but who can stand before ^bujealousy?
5 ^bvBetter is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Faithful are ^bwthe wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
7 One who is full loathes ^bxhoney,
but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
8 Like ^bya bird that strays from its nest
is a man who strays from his home.
9 ^bzOil and perfume make the heart glad,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. ^{▼▼Or and so does the sweetness of a friend that comes from his earnest counsel}
10 Do not forsake your friend and ^cbyour father’s friend,
and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity.
^ccBetter is a neighbor who is near
than a brother who is far away.
11 ^cdBe wise, ^cemy son, and ^cfmake my heart glad,
that I may ^cganswer him who reproaches me.
12 ^chThe prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but ^cithe simple go on and suffer for it.
13 ^cjTake a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress. ^{▼▼Hebrew a foreign woman; a slight emendation yields (compare Vulgate; see also 20:16) foreigners}
14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning,
will be counted as cursing.
15 ^clA continual dripping on a rainy day
and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind
or to grasp ^{▼▼Hebrew to meet with} oil in one’s right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another. ^{▼▼Hebrew sharpens the face of another}
18 ^coWhoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who ^cpguards his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
so the heart of man reflects the man.
20 ^cqSheol and Abaddon are ^crnever satisfied,
and ^csnever satisfied are the eyes of man.
21 ^ctThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and a man is tested by his praise.
22 ^cuCrush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
along with crushed grain,
yet his folly will not depart from him.
23 ^cvKnow well the condition of your flocks,
and ^cwgive attention to your herds,
24 for ^cxriches do not last forever;
and does a crown endure to all generations?
25 ^cyWhen the grass is gone and the new growth appears
and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26 ^czthe lambs will provide your clothing,
and the goats the price of a field.
27 ^daThere will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
for the food of your household
and maintenance for your girls.

Proverbs 28

1 ^dbThe wicked flee when no one pursues,
but ^dcthe righteous are bold as a lion.
2 When a land transgresses, ^ddit has many rulers,
but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
its stability will long continue.
3 ^deA poor man who oppresses the poor
is a beating rain that leaves no food.
4 Those who forsake the law ^dfpraise the wicked,
but those who keep the law ^dgstrive against them.
5 Evil men ^dhdo not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord ^diunderstand it completely.
6 ^djBetter is a poor man who ^dkwalks in his integrity
than a rich man who is ^dlcrooked in his ways.
7 The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
but ^dma companion of gluttons shames his father.
8 Whoever multiplies his wealth ^dnby interest and profit ^{▼▼That is, profit that comes from charging interest to the poor}
^dpgathers it for him who is ^dqgenerous to the poor.
9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
even his ^drprayer is an abomination.
10 Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
^dswill fall into his own pit,
but the blameless ^dtwill have a goodly inheritance.
11 A rich man is wise in his ^duown eyes,
but a poor man who has understanding ^dvwill find him out.
12 When ^dwthe righteous triumph, there is great glory,
but when ^dxthe wicked rise, people hide themselves.
13 Whoever ^dyconceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who ^dzconfesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
14 Blessed is the one who ^eafears the Lord always,
but whoever ^ebhardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like ^eca roaring lion or ^eda charging bear
is ^eea wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who ^eflacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 If one is burdened with ^egthe blood of another,
he will be a fugitive until death; ^{▼▼Hebrew until the pit}
let no one help him.
18 ^eiWhoever ^ejwalks in integrity will be delivered,
but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 ^ekWhoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
but whoever hastens to be rich ^elwill not go unpunished.
21 To show ^empartiality is not good,
but for ^ena piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A ^eostingy man ^{▼▼Hebrew A man whose eye is evil} ^eqhastens after wealth
and does not know that ^erpoverty will come upon him.
23 Whoever ^esrebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than ^ethe who flatters with his tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother
and says, “That is no transgression,”
is ^eua companion to a man who destroys.
25 A greedy man ^evstirs up strife,
but the one who trusts in the Lord will ^ewbe enriched.
26 Whoever ^extrusts in his own mind is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
27 Whoever ^eygives to the poor will not want,
but he who ^ezhides his eyes will get many a curse.
28 When ^fathe wicked rise, ^fbpeople hide themselves,
but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Proverbs 29

1 ^fcHe who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,
will suddenly be ^fdbroken ^febeyond healing.
2 When ^ffthe righteous increase, the people rejoice,
but when ^fgthe wicked rule, the people groan.
3 He who ^fhloves wisdom makes his father glad,
but ^fia companion of prostitutes ^fjsquanders his wealth.
4 By justice a king ^fkbuilds up the land,
but he who exacts gifts ^{▼▼Or who taxes heavily} tears it down.
5 ^fmA man who flatters his neighbor
spreads ^fna net for his feet.
6 An evil man is ^foensnared in his transgression,
but a righteous man ^fpsings and rejoices.
7 A righteous man ^fqknows the rights of the poor;
a wicked man does not ^frunderstand such knowledge.
8 ^fsScoffers set a city aflame,
but the wise turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man has an argument with a fool,
the fool only rages and laughs, and there is ^ftno quiet.
10 Bloodthirsty men ^fuhate one who is blameless
and seek the life of the upright. ^{▼▼Or but the upright seek his soul}
11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
but a wise man quietly holds it back.
12 If a ruler listens to falsehood,
all his officials will be wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor ^fwmeet together;
the Lord ^fxgives light to the eyes of both.
14 If a king ^fyfaithfully judges the poor,
his throne will ^fzbe established forever.
15 ^gaThe rod and reproof give wisdom,
but a child left to himself ^gbbrings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases,
but ^gcthe righteous will look upon their downfall.
17 ^gdDiscipline your son, and he will give you rest;
he will give delight to your heart.
18 Where ^gethere is no prophetic vision the people ^gfcast off restraint, ^{▼▼Or the people are discouraged}
but blessed is he who ^ghkeeps the law.
19 By mere words a servant is not disciplined,
for though he understands, he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
^giThere is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 Whoever pampers his servant from childhood
will in the end find him his heir. ^{▼▼The meaning of the Hebrew word rendered his heir is uncertain}
22 ^gkA man of wrath stirs up strife,
and one given to anger causes much transgression.
23 ^glOne’s pride will bring him low,
^gmbut he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
24 The partner of a thief ^gnhates his own life;
^gohe hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
25 ^gpThe fear of man lays a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
26 Many ^gqseek the face of a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that a man ^grgets justice.
27 ^gsAn unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.