25:1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.
25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
25:3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
25:4 Take away the ①impurities from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the smith;
▷ ①Lit dross
25:5 Take away the wicked before the king,
And his throne will be established in righteousness.
25:6 Do not boast in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the same place ①as great people;
▷ ①Lit of
25:7 For it 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.
25:8 Do not go out hastily to ①argue your case;
②Otherwise, what will you do in ③the end,
When your neighbor humiliates you?
▷ ①Lit contend ②Lit Lest ③Lit its
25:9 ①Argue your case with your neighbor,
And do not reveal the secret of another,
▷ ①Lit Contend
25:10 Or one who hears it will put you to shame,
And the evil report about you will not ①pass away.
▷ ①Lit return
25:11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver,
Is a word spoken at ①the proper time.
▷ ①Lit its time
25:12 Like ①an earring of gold and a jewelry piece of fine gold,
Is a wise person who offers rebukes to a listening ear.
▷ ①Or a nose ring
25:13 Like the cold of snow in the ①time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
▷ ①Lit day
25:14 Like clouds and wind without rain
Is a person who boasts ①of his gifts falsely.
▷ ①Lit in a gift of falsehood
25:15 Through ①patience a ruler may be persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks bone.
▷ ①Lit length of anger
25:16 Have you found honey? Eat only ①what you need,
So that you do not have it in excess and vomit it.
▷ ①Lit your sufficiency
25:17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become ①weary of you and hate you.
▷ ①Lit surfeited with
25:18 Like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow
Is a person who gives false testimony against his neighbor.
25:19 Like a bad tooth and ①an unsteady foot
Is confidence in a treacherous person in time of trouble.
▷ ①Lit a slipping foot
25:20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on ①soda,
Is one who sings songs to ②a troubled heart.
▷ ①I.e., natron ②Lit an evil
25:21 If ①your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
▷ ①Lit one who hates you
25:22 For you will ①heap burning coals on his head,
And the LORD will reward you.
▷ ①Lit snatch up
25:23 The north wind brings rain,
And a ①gossiping tongue brings an angry face.
▷ ①Lit tongue of secrecy
25:24 It is better to live on a corner of the roof,
Than ①in a house shared with a contentious woman.
▷ ①Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association
25:25 Like cold water to a weary soul,
So is good news from a distant land.
25:26 Like a trampled spring and a ①polluted well,
So is a righteous person who gives way before the wicked.
▷ ①Lit ruined
25:27 It is not good to eat much honey,
Nor is it glory to search out ①one’s own glory.
▷ ①Lit their
25:28 Like a city that is broken into and without walls
So is a person who has no self-control over his spirit.