^2 (B)It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³ As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

^4 (C)Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
⁵ Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in ^(D)righteousness.

⁶ Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;
^7 (E)For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

^8 (F)Do not go hastily to ^[a]court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?
^9 (G)Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;
¹⁰ Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And ^[b]your reputation be ruined.

¹¹ A word fitly ^(H)spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.
¹² Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.

^13 (I)Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

^14 (J)Whoever falsely boasts of giving
Is like ^(K)clouds and wind without rain.

^15 (L)By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

¹⁶ Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

¹⁷ Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

^18 (M)A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

¹⁹ Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

²⁰ Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who ^(N)sings songs to a heavy heart.

^21 (O)If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
²² For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
^(P)And the Lord will reward you.

²³ The north wind brings forth rain,
And ^(Q)a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

^24 (R)It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

²⁵ As cold water to a weary soul,
So is ^(S)good news from a far country.

²⁶ A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a ^[c]polluted well.

²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey;
So ^(T)to seek one’s own glory is not glory.

^28 (U)Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.

² Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
So ^(W)a curse without cause shall not alight.

^3 (X)A whip for the horse,
A bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the fool’s back.
⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
^5 (Y)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
⁶ He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
⁷ Like the legs of the lame that hang limp
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
⁸ Like one who binds a stone in a sling
Is he who gives honor to a fool.
⁹ Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
^10 [d]The great God who formed everything
Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
^11 (Z)As a dog returns to his own vomit,
^(AA)So a fool repeats his folly.
^12 (AB)Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³ The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion is in the ^[e]streets!”
¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy man on his bed.
¹⁵ The ^(AC)lazy man buries his hand in the ^[f]bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
¹⁶ The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly.

¹⁷ He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

¹⁸ Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
¹⁹ Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, ^(AD)“I was only joking!”

²⁰ Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no ^[g]talebearer, strife ceases.
^21 (AE)As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
²² The words of a ^[h]talebearer are like ^[i]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the ^[j]inmost body.

²³ Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.

²⁴ He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself;
^25 (AF)When ^[k]he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart;
²⁶ Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.

^27 (AG)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works ^(AH)ruin.

^(H)“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”