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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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
Hezekiah’s Collection
1These too are proverbs of Solomon, # Pr 1:1
which the men of Hezekiah, # 2Kg 18–20 king 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 heaven is 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 a vessel will be produced # Lit will come out ; Ex 32:24 for 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 brag 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. # 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 # Or neighbor humiliates you?
9Make your case with your opponent # Or neighbor
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. # Lit and your evil report will not turn back
11A word spoken at the right time
is like gold apples on a silver tray. # Or like apples of gold in settings of silver # 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 messenger
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 man 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 man 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. # 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. # 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. # Lit seek their glory, glory # Pr 27:2
28A man 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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