Proverbs 25
25
More Proverbs of Solomon
1These are more proverbs of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4Remove the dross from the silver,
and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
5remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,
and his throne will be established through righteousness.
6Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
and do not claim a place among his great men;
7it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”
than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.
What you have seen with your eyes
8do not bring#25:7,8 Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / 8 Do not go hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
if your neighbor puts you to shame?
9If you take your neighbor to court,
do not betray another’s confidence,
10or the one who hears it may shame you
and the charge against you will stand.
11Like apples#25:11 Or possibly apricots of gold in settings of silver
is a ruling rightly given.
12Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.
13Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time
is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;
he refreshes the spirit of his master.
14Like clouds and wind without rain
is one who boasts of gifts never given.
15Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
16If you find honey, eat just enough—
too much of it, and you will vomit.
17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you.
18Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.
19Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
20Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
or like vinegar poured on a wound,
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.
24Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
25Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.
26Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
are the righteous who give way to the wicked.
27It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.
28Like a city whose walls are broken through
is a person who lacks self-control.
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 25: NIV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
Proverbs 25
25
1These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
2God's greatness is in doing things that can't be known, while the greatness of kings is in revealing things.
3Just as the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth can't be known, the king's thinking can't be known.
4Remove the waste from the silver, and the silversmith has pure silver to work with.
5Remove the wicked from the king's presence and the king will rule securely and justly.
6Don't try to make yourself look great before the king, and don't pretend to be among the important people,
7for it's better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be humiliated before a nobleman. Even though you've seen something with your own eyes,
8don't rush to take legal action, for what are you going to do in the end when your neighbor shows you're wrong and humiliates you?
9Discuss the case with your neighbor himself, and don't betray someone else's secret,
10otherwise whoever hears it will make you ashamed and you'll never lose your bad reputation.
11Advice given at the right time is like golden apples set in silver.
12Constructive criticism from the wise to someone who listens is like a gold ring and a necklace of fine gold.
13Faithful messengers are as refreshing to their master as cold snow on a hot harvest day.
14Someone who boasts about a gift they never give is like cloud and wind without rain.
15If you're patient you can persuade your superior, and soft words can break down opposition.#25:15. “Break down opposition”: literally “break bones,” in other words, have a powerful effect.
16If you find honey, eat just enough, for if you eat too much, you'll be sick.
17Don't set foot in your neighbors' homes too often, otherwise they'll get fed up with you and hate you.
18Telling lies in court against a friend is like attacking them with a mace, or a sword, or an arrow.
19Trusting in unreliable people in times of trouble is like eating with a broken tooth or walking on a bad foot.
20Singing happy songs to someone who's broken-hearted is like taking off your coat on a cold day, or pouring vinegar onto an open wound.#25:20. “An open wound”: Septuagint reading. Hebrew has “soda.” Vinegar on soda would cause an effervescent reaction.
21If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if he's thirsty, give him a drink of water.
22This will make him ashamed as if he had burning coals piled on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
23In the same way that the north wind brings rain, slandering people makes them angry.
24It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
25Good news from a distant country is like cold water to an exhausted traveler.
26Good people who give in to the wicked are like a muddied spring or a polluted well.
27It's not good to eat too much honey, or to want too much praise.#25:27. The second part of this verse is uncertain.
28Someone without control is as exposed as a town whose walls have been breached.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com