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: ASV
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Proverbs 25
25
More Wise Sayings From Solomon
1These are some more wise sayings from Solomon. These proverbs were copied by servants of Hezekiah, the king of Judah.
2We honor God for the things he keeps secret. But we honor kings for the things they can discover.
3We cannot discover how high the sky is above us or how deep the earth is below. The same is true with the minds of kings. We cannot understand them.
4Remove the worthless things from silver to make it pure, and a worker can make something beautiful. 5Take the evil advisors away from a king, and goodness will make his kingdom strong.
6Don’t brag about yourself before the king and pretend you are someone important. 7It is much better for the king to invite you to take a more important position than to embarrass you in front of his officials.
8Don’t be too quick to tell a judge about something you saw. You will be embarrassed if someone else proves you wrong.
9If you want to tell your friends about your own problems, tell them. But don’t discuss what someone told you in private. 10Whoever hears it will lose their respect for you and will never trust you again.
11Saying the right thing at the right time is like a golden apple in a silver setting. 12Wise advice to a listening ear is like gold earrings or fine jewelry.
13To his master who sent him, a messenger who can be trusted is as refreshing as a drink of cold water on a hot summer day.#25:13 drink … day Literally, “as the cold snow at harvest time.” This probably refers to snow or ice brought down from Mt. Hermon in Lebanon.
14People who promise to give gifts but never give them are like clouds and wind that bring no rain.
15With patience, you can make anyone change their thinking, even a ruler. Gentle speech is very powerful.
16Honey is good, but don’t eat too much of it, or you will be sick. 17And don’t visit your neighbors’ homes too often, or they will begin to hate you.
18A person who gives false testimony against a neighbor is as deadly as a club, a sword, or a very sharp arrow. 19Never depend on a liar in times of trouble. It’s like chewing with a bad tooth or walking with a crippled foot.
20Singing happy songs to a sad person is as foolish as taking a coat off on a cold day or mixing soda and vinegar.
21If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat. If they are thirsty, give them some water. 22This will make them feel the burning pain of shame,#25:22 This … shame Literally, “for you will heap coals of fire on his head.” and the Lord will reward you for being good to them.
23Just as wind blowing from the north brings rain, telling secrets brings anger.
24It is better to live in a small corner of the roof than to share the house with a woman who is always arguing.
25Good news from a faraway place is like a cool drink of water when you are hot and thirsty.
26Good people who don’t stand strong against evil are like springs that have been polluted or pools that have turned dirty and muddy.
27Just as eating too much honey is not good, it is not good for people to always be looking for honor.
28People who cannot control themselves are like cities without walls to protect them.
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