Proverbs 25
25
1These also are Solomon’s proverbs that were copied by the men of King Hezekiah of Judah.
Advice for Kings
2It is the glory of God to hide things
but the glory of kings to investigate them.
3 ⌞Like⌟ the high heavens and the deep earth,
so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
4Take the impurities out of silver,
and a vessel is ready for the silversmith to mold.
5Take a wicked person away from the presence of a king,
and justice will make his throne secure.
6Do not brag about yourself in front of a king
or stand in the spot that belongs to notable people,
7because it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put down in front of a prince
whom your eyes have seen.
8Do not be in a hurry to go to court.
What will you do in the end if your neighbor disgraces you?
9Present your argument to your neighbor,
but do not reveal another person’s secret.
10Otherwise, when he hears about it, he will humiliate you,
and his evil report about you will never disappear.
11 ⌞Like⌟ golden apples in silver settings,
⌞so⌟ is a word spoken at the right time.
12 ⌞Like⌟ a gold ring and a fine gold ornament,
⌞so⌟ is constructive criticism to the ear of one who listens.
13Like the coolness of snow on a harvest day,
⌞so⌟ is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him:
He refreshes his masters.
14 ⌞Like⌟ a dense fog or a dust storm,
⌞so⌟ is a person who brags about a gift that he does not give.
15With patience you can persuade a ruler,
and a soft tongue can break bones.
16When you find honey, eat only as much as you need.
Otherwise, you will have too much and vomit.
17Do not set foot in your neighbor’s house too often.
Otherwise, he will see too much of you and hate you.
18 ⌞Like⌟ a club and a sword and a sharp arrow,
⌞so⌟ is a person who gives false testimony against his neighbor.
19 ⌞Like⌟ a broken tooth and a lame foot,
⌞so⌟ is confidence in an unfaithful person in a ⌞time of⌟ crisis.
20 ⌞Like⌟ taking off a coat on a cold day
or pouring vinegar on baking soda,
so is singing songs to one who has an evil heart.
21If your enemy is hungry, give him some food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him some water to drink.
22 ⌞In this way⌟ you will make him feel guilty and ashamed,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 ⌞As⌟ the north wind brings rain,
so a whispering tongue brings angry looks.
24Better to live on a corner of a roof
than to share a home with a quarreling woman.
25 ⌞Like⌟ cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from far away.
26 ⌞Like⌟ a muddied spring and a polluted well,
⌞so⌟ is a righteous person who gives in to a wicked person.
27Eating too much honey is not good,
and searching for honor is not honorable.
28 ⌞Like⌟ a city broken into ⌞and⌟ left without a wall,
⌞so⌟ is a person who lacks self-control.
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Proverbs 25: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 25
25
More Wise Sayings of Solomon
1These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah.
2God is honored for what he keeps secret.
Kings are honored for what they can discover.
3No one can measure the height of the skies or the depth of the earth.
So also no one can understand the mind of a king.
4Remove the scum from the silver,
so the silver can be used by the silversmith.
5Remove wicked people from the king’s presence;
then his government will be honest and last a long time.
6Don’t brag to the king
and act as if you are great.
7It is better for him to give you a higher position
than to bring you down in front of the prince.
Because of something you have seen,
8do not quickly take someone to court.
What will you do later
when your neighbor proves you wrong?
9If you have an argument with your neighbor,
don’t tell other people what was said.
10Whoever hears it might shame you,
and you might not ever be respected again.
11The right word spoken at the right time
is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl.
12A wise warning to someone who will listen
is as valuable as gold earrings or fine gold jewelry.
13Trustworthy messengers refresh those who send them,
like the coolness of snow in the summertime.
14People who brag about gifts they never give
are like clouds and wind that give no rain.
15With patience you can convince a ruler,
and a gentle word can get through to the hard-headed.
16If you find honey, don’t eat too much,
or it will make you throw up.
17Don’t go to your neighbor’s house too often;
too much of you will make him hate you.
18When you lie about your neighbors,
it hurts them as much as a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19Trusting unfaithful people when you are in trouble
is like eating with a broken tooth or walking with a crippled foot.
20Singing songs to someone who is sad
is like taking away his coat on a cold day
or pouring vinegar on soda.
21If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him a drink.
22Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23As the north wind brings rain,
telling gossip brings angry looks.
24It is better to live in a corner on the roof
than inside the house with a quarreling wife.
25Good news from a faraway place
is like a cool drink when you are tired.
26A good person who gives in to evil
is like a muddy spring or a dirty well.
27It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor does it bring you honor to brag about yourself.
28Those who do not control themselves
are like a city whose walls are broken down.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.