Proverbs 25

Hezekiah’s Collection

1These too are proverbs of Solomon,#Pr 1:1

which the men of King Hezekiah#2Kg 18–20 of Judah copied.

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter#Dt 29:29; Rm 11:33

and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.

3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,

so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.

4Remove impurities from silver,#Ezk 22:18; Mal 3:2–3

and material will be produced#25:4 Lit will come out; Ex 32:24 for a silversmith.#25:4 Or and a vessel will be produced by a silversmith#2Tm 2:21

5Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,#Pr 20:8,26

and his throne will be established in righteousness.#Pr 16:12

6Don’t boast about yourself before the king,

and don’t stand in the place of the great;

7for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!”

than to demote you in plain view of a noble.#25:7 Lit you before a noble whom your eyes see#Lk 14:7–11

8Don’t take a matter to court hastily.#Pr 17:14; Mt 5:25; 1Co 6:7

Otherwise, what will you do afterward

if your opponent#25:8 Or neighbor, also in v. 9 humiliates you?

9Make your case with your opponent

without revealing another’s secret;#Pr 17:9; Mt 18:15

10otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,

and you’ll never live it down.#25:10 Lit and your evil report will not turn back

11A word spoken at the right time

is like gold apples in silver settings.#Pr 8:10; 15:23; 16:16

12A wise correction to a receptive ear#Pr 15:31

is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.

13To those who send him, a trustworthy envoy

is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;

he refreshes the life of his masters.#Pr 13:17; 16:24; 25:25

14The one who boasts about a gift that does not exist

is like clouds and wind without rain.#Jd 12

15A ruler can be persuaded through patience,

and a gentle tongue can break a bone.#Pr 15:1; 16:14,32; Ec 10:4

16If you find honey,#Jdg 14:8; 1Sm 14:25 eat only what you need;

otherwise, you’ll get sick from it and vomit.#Pr 25:27

17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house;

otherwise, he’ll get sick of you and hate you.

18A person giving false testimony against his neighbor#Ex 20:16; Pr 24:28

is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.#Ps 57:4; Pr 12:18

19Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time

is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.#2Kg 18:21

20Singing songs to a troubled heart

is like taking off clothing on a cold day

or like pouring vinegar on soda.#25:20 Lit natron, or sodium carbonate#Rm 12:15

21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,

and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,#Ex 23:4–5; 2Kg 6:22; 2Ch 28:15; Mt 5:44; Rm 12:20

22for you will heap burning coals on his head,

and the Lord will reward you.#Mt 6:4

23The north wind produces rain,

and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

24Better to live on the corner of a roof

than to share a house with a nagging wife.#Pr 15:17; 17:1; 21:9,19

25Good news from a distant land

is like cold water to a parched throat.#25:25 Or a weary person#Pr 15:30

26A righteous person who yields to the wicked#Dt 13:6–8; Gl 2:4–5

is like a muddied spring or a polluted well.#Ezk 32:2; 34:18–19

27It is not good to eat too much honey#Pr 25:16

or to seek glory after glory.#25:27 Lit seek their glory, glory#Pr 27:2

28A person who does not control his temper#Pr 16:32; 29:11

is like a city whose wall is broken down.#Neh 1:3

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Proverbs 25: CSB

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Proverbs 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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