Proverbs 25
25
1These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2It is the glory of God to conceal a thing;
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4Take away the dross from the silver,
And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
5Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king,
And stand not in the place of great men:
7For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither,
Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom thine eyes have seen.
8Go not forth hastily to strive,
Lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof,
When thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.
9Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself,
And disclose not the secret of another;
10Lest he that heareth it revile thee,
And thine infamy turn not away.
11A word fitly spoken
Is like apples of gold in network of silver.
12 As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold,
So is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
13As the cold of snow in the time of harvest,
So is a faithful messenger to them that send him;
For he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 As clouds and wind without rain,
So is he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.
15By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded,
And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee,
Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbor’s house,
Lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
18A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor
Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon soda,
So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
21If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head,
And Jehovah will reward thee.
23The north wind bringeth forth rain;
So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,
Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul,
So is good news from a far country.
26 As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring,
So is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
27It is not good to eat much honey;
So for men to search out their own glory is grievous.
28He whose spirit is without restraint
Is like a city that is broken down and without walls.
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Proverbs 25
25
1These also are proverbs of Solomon.#Prv 1:1. The servants of Hezekiah,#The servants of Hezekiah: presumably scribes at the court of Hezekiah. Transmitted: lit., “to move, transfer from,” hence “to collect,” and perhaps also to arrange and compose. king of Judah, transmitted them.
2#The topic is the king—who he is (vv. 2–3) and how one is to behave in his presence (vv. 4–7). It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
and the glory of kings to fathom a matter.#God and king were closely related in the ancient world and in the Bible. The king had a special responsibility for divine justice. Hence, God would give him special wisdom to search it out.
3Like the heavens in height, and the earth in depth,
the heart of kings is unfathomable.
4#Wisdom involves virtue as well as knowledge. As in Ps 101 the king cannot tolerate any wickedness in the royal service. Remove the dross from silver,
and it comes forth perfectly purified;
5Remove the wicked from the presence of the king,
and his throne is made firm through justice.
6#An admonition with a practical motive for putting the teaching into practice. Pragmatic shrewdness suggests that we not promote ourselves but let others do it for us. See Lk 14:7–11. Claim no honor in the king’s presence,
nor occupy the place of superiors;
7For it is better to be told, “Come up closer!”
than to be humbled before the prince.#Lk 14:8–10.
8What your eyes have seen
do not bring forth too quickly against an opponent;
For what will you do later on
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9#Another admonition on the use of law courts to settle personal disputes. Speak privately with your opponent lest others’ personal business become public and they resent you. Argue your own case with your neighbor,
but the secrets of others do not disclose;
10Lest, hearing it, they reproach you,
and your ill repute never ceases.
11Golden apples in silver settings
are words spoken at the proper time.
12A golden earring or a necklace of fine gold—
one who gives wise reproof to a listening ear.
13Like the coolness of snow in the heat of the harvest
are faithful messengers for those who send them,
lifting the spirits of their masters.
14Clouds and wind but no rain—
the one who boasts of a gift not given.
15By patience is a ruler persuaded,#Prv 15:1, 4.
and a soft tongue can break a bone.
16#The two admonitions are complementary, expressing nicely the need to restrain the inclination for delightful things, whether for honey or friendship. If you find honey, eat only what you need,
lest you have your fill and vomit it up.
17Let your foot be seldom in your neighbors’ house,
lest they have their fill of you—and hate you.
18A club, sword, or sharp arrow—
the one who bears false witness against a neighbor.#Ex 20:16.
19A bad tooth or an unsteady foot—
a trust betrayed in time of trouble.#“A time of trouble” defeats all plans (cf. 10:2; 11:4). At such times human resources alone are like a tooth that falls out as one bites or a foot that goes suddenly lame.
20Like the removal of clothes on a cold day, or vinegar on soda,
is the one who sings to a troubled heart.
21#A memorable statement of humanity and moderation; such sentiments could be occasionally found even outside the Bible, e.g., “It is better to bless someone than to do harm to one who has insulted you” (Egyptian Papyrus Insinger). Cf. Ex 23:4 and Lv 19:17–18. Human beings should not take it upon themselves to exact vengeance, leaving it rather in God’s hands. This saying has in view an enemy’s vulnerability in time of need, in this case extreme hunger and thirst; such a need should not be an occasion for revenge. The motive for restraining oneself is to allow God’s justice to take its own course, as in 20:22 and 24:17–19. Live coals: either remorse and embarrassment for the harm done, or increased punishment for refusing reconciliation. Cf. Mt 5:44. Rom 12:20 cites the Greek version and interprets it, “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat,
if thirsty, give something to drink;#Rom 12:20.
22For live coals you will heap on their heads,
and the Lord will vindicate you.
23The north wind brings rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
24It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop
than in a mansion with a quarrelsome wife.#A humorous saying about domestic unhappiness: better to live alone outdoors than indoors with an angry spouse. Prv 21:9 is identical and 21:19 is similar in thought. #Prv 21:9.
25Cool water to one faint from thirst
is good news from a far country.
26A trampled fountain or a polluted spring—#“Spring” is a common metaphor for source. The righteous should be a source of life for others. When they fail, it is as if a spring became foul and its water undrinkable. It is not clear whether the righteous person yielded to a scoundrel out of cowardice or was simply defeated by evil. The latter seems more likely, for other proverbs say the just person will never “fall” (lit., “be moved,” 10:30; 12:3). The fall, even temporary, of a righteous person is a loss of life for others.
a just person fallen before the wicked.
27To eat too much honey is not good;
nor to seek honor after honor.#Nor…honor: the text is uncertain.
28A city breached and left defenseless
are those who do not control their temper.
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