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
More of Solomon's Wise Sayings
1Here are some more
of Solomon's proverbs.
They were copied by the officials
of King Hezekiah of Judah.
2God is praised
for being mysterious;
rulers are praised
for explaining mysteries.
3Who can fully understand
the thoughts of a ruler?
They reach beyond the sky
and go deep in the earth.
4Silver must be purified
before it can be used
to make something of value.
5Evil people must be removed
before anyone can rule
with justice.
6 #
Lk 14.8-10. Don't try to seem important
in the court of a ruler.
7It's better for the ruler
to give you a high position
than for you to be embarrassed
in front of royal officials.
Be sure you are right
8before you sue someone,
or you might lose your case
and be embarrassed.
9When you and someone else
can't get along,
don't gossip about it.#25.9 When … it: Or “Settle a problem privately between you and your neighbor and don't involve others.”
10Others will find out,
and your reputation
will then be ruined.
11The right word
at the right time
is like precious gold
set in silver.
12Listening to good advice
is worth much more
than jewelry made of gold.
13A messenger you can trust
is just as refreshing
as cool water in summer.
14Broken promises
are worse than rain clouds
that don't bring rain.
15Patience and gentle talk
can convince a ruler
and overcome any problem.
16Eating too much honey
can make you sick.
17Don't visit friends too often,
or they will get tired of it
and start hating you.
18Telling lies about friends
is like attacking them
with clubs and swords
and sharp arrows.
19A friend you can't trust
in times of trouble
is like having a toothache
or a sore foot.
20Singing to someone
in deep sorrow
is like pouring vinegar
in an open cut.#25.20 cut: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 20.
21 #
Ro 12.20. If your enemies are hungry,
give them something to eat.
And if they are thirsty,
give them something
to drink.
22This will be the same
as piling burning coals
on their heads.
And the Lord
will reward you.
23As surely as rain blows in
from the north,
anger is caused
by cruel words.
24It's better to stay outside
on the roof of your house
than to live inside
with a nagging wife.
25Good news from far away
refreshes like cold water
when you are thirsty.
26When a good person gives in
to the wicked,
it's like dumping garbage
in a stream of clear water.
27Don't eat too much honey
or always want praise.#25.27 or … praise: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
28Losing self-control
leaves you as helpless
as a city without a wall.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.