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More Wise Sayings of Solomon

25 These are more ·wise sayings [proverbs] of Solomon [1:1; 10:1], copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah [C ruled 727–698 bc; 2 Kin. 18–20; 2 Chr. 29–32; Is. 36–39].

·God is honored for what he keeps secret [L It is the glory of God to hide a matter/things; Deut. 29:29].
·Kings are honored for what they can discover [L It is the glory of kings to examine them].

No one can ·measure [examine] the height of the skies or the depth of the earth.
So also no one can ·understand [examine] the ·mind [L heart] of a king.

·Remove [Separate] the ·scum [dross] from the silver,
    so ·the silver can be used by the silversmith [L a vessel will come out for refining].
·Remove [Separate] wicked people from the king’s presence;
    then his ·government [L throne] will be ·honest and last a long time [L established in righteousness].

Don’t ·brag [honor yourself] to the king
    and ·act as if you are great [L don’t stand in the place of important people].
It is better for him to ·give you a higher position [L say to you, “Come up here”]
    than to bring you down in front of the prince [Luke 14:7–11].

Because of something you have seen,
    do not quickly take someone to court.
What will you do later
    when your neighbor ·proves you wrong [L humiliates/shames you]?

·If you have an argument with [L Make your accusations against] your neighbor,
    ·don’t tell other people what was said [keep it a secret from others].
10 Whoever hears it might shame you,
    and ·you might not ever be respected again [L the slander against you will never stop].

11 The right word spoken at the right time
is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver ·bowl [L setting].

12 A wise ·warning [correction] to ·someone who will listen [L a listening ear]
is as valuable as gold earrings or fine gold jewelry.

13 Trustworthy messengers refresh those who send them,
like the coolness of snow ·in the summertime [L at harvest time].

14 People who brag about gifts they never give
are like clouds and wind that give no rain.

15 With patience you can convince a ruler,
and a ·gentle [tender] word ·can get through to the hard-headed [L breaks bone].

16 If you find honey, ·don’t eat too much [eat the right amount],
    or it will make you full and you will throw up.
17 ·Don’t go to your neighbor’s house too often [L Rarely let your feet step into your neighbor’s house];
    ·too much of you will make him [L they will have their fill of you and] hate you.

18 When you ·lie [falsely testify] about your neighbors [Ex. 20:16],
it hurts them as much as a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

19 Trusting unfaithful people ·when you are in [L on a day of] trouble
is like eating with a broken tooth or walking with a crippled foot.

20 Singing songs to ·someone who is sad [L a troubled heart]
    is like taking away his coat on a cold day
or pouring vinegar on soda [C sodium bicarbonate; mixing the two would cause an adverse reaction; the Greek Old Testament reads “scab” or “wound” instead of “soda”].

21 If ·your enemy [L one you hate] is hungry, feed him.
    If he is thirsty, give him a drink.
22 Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his head,
    and the Lord will reward you [Rom. 12:19–21].

23 As the north wind brings rain,
·telling gossip [L a hidden tongue] brings angry looks.

24 It is better to live in a corner on the roof [21:9]
than inside the house with a ·quarreling [contentious] wife.

25 Good news from a faraway place
is like a cool drink when you are tired.

26 A good person who ·gives in to [staggers before] evil
is like a ·muddy [foul] spring or a ·dirty [ruined] well.

27 It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor does it bring you honor to ·brag about yourself [seek honor].

28 Those who ·do not control themselves [are unrestrained in spirit]
are like a city whose walls are broken down.

25 Voici encore des Proverbes de Salomon, recueillis par les gens d'Ézéchias, roi de Juda.

La gloire de Dieu, c'est de cacher les choses; La gloire des rois, c'est de sonder les choses.

Les cieux dans leur hauteur, la terre dans sa profondeur, Et le coeur des rois, sont impénétrables.

Ote de l'argent les scories, Et il en sortira un vase pour le fondeur.

Ote le méchant de devant le roi, Et son trône s'affermira par la justice.

Ne t'élève pas devant le roi, Et ne prends pas la place des grands;

Car il vaut mieux qu'on te dise: Monte-ici! Que si l'on t'abaisse devant le prince que tes yeux voient.

Ne te hâte pas d'entrer en contestation, De peur qu'à la fin tu ne saches que faire, Lorsque ton prochain t'aura outragé.

Défends ta cause contre ton prochain, Mais ne révèle pas le secret d'un autre,

10 De peur qu'en l'apprenant il ne te couvre de honte, Et que ta mauvaise renommée ne s'efface pas.

11 Comme des pommes d'or sur des ciselures d'argent, Ainsi est une parole dite à propos.

12 Comme un anneau d'or et une parure d'or fin, Ainsi pour une oreille docile est le sage qui réprimande.

13 Comme la fraîcheur de la neige au temps de la moisson, Ainsi est un messager fidèle pour celui qui l'envoie; Il restaure l'âme de son maître.

14 Comme des nuages et du vent sans pluie, Ainsi est un homme se glorifiant à tort de ses libéralités.

15 Par la lenteur à la colère on fléchit un prince, Et une langue douce peut briser des os.

16 Si tu trouves du miel, n'en mange que ce qui te suffit, De peur que tu n'en sois rassasié et que tu ne le vomisses.

17 Mets rarement le pied dans la maison de ton prochain, De peur qu'il ne soit rassasié de toi et qu'il ne te haïsse.

18 Comme une massue, une épée et une flèche aiguë, Ainsi est un homme qui porte un faux témoignage contre son prochain.

19 Comme une dent cassée et un pied qui chancelle, Ainsi est la confiance en un perfide au jour de la détresse.

20 Oter son vêtement dans un jour froid, Répandre du vinaigre sur du nitre, C'est dire des chansons à un coeur attristé.

21 Si ton ennemi a faim, donne-lui du pain à manger; S'il a soif, donne-lui de l'eau à boire.

22 Car ce sont des charbons ardents que tu amasses sur sa tête, Et l'Éternel te récompensera.

23 Le vent du nord enfante la pluie, Et la langue mystérieuse un visage irrité.

24 Mieux vaut habiter à l'angle d'un toit, Que de partager la demeure d'une femme querelleuse.

25 Comme de l'eau fraîche pour une personne fatiguée, Ainsi est une bonne nouvelle venant d'une terre lointaine.

26 Comme une fontaine troublée et une source corrompue, Ainsi est le juste qui chancelle devant le méchant.

27 Il n'est pas bon de manger beaucoup de miel, Mais rechercher la gloire des autres est un honneur.

28 Comme une ville forcée et sans murailles, Ainsi est l'homme qui n'est pas maître de lui-même.

More Proverbs of Solomon

25 These are more proverbs(A) of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:(B)

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.(C)
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
    so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

Remove the dross from the silver,
    and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,(D)
    and his throne will be established(E) through righteousness.(F)

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among his great men;
it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”(G)
    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes
    do not bring[a] hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
    if your neighbor puts you to shame?(H)

If you take your neighbor to court,
    do not betray another’s confidence,
10 or the one who hears it may shame you
    and the charge against you will stand.

11 Like apples[b] of gold in settings of silver(I)
    is a ruling rightly given.
12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
    is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.(J)

13 Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time
    is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;
    he refreshes the spirit of his master.(K)
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
    is one who boasts of gifts never given.

15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,(L)
    and a gentle tongue can break a bone.(M)

16 If you find honey, eat just enough—
    too much of it, and you will vomit.(N)
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
    too much of you, and they will hate you.

18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
    is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.(O)
19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
    is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
    or like vinegar poured on a wound,
    is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
    if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals(P) on his head,
    and the Lord will reward you.(Q)

23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
    is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

24 Better to live on a corner of the roof
    than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(R)

25 Like cold water to a weary soul
    is good news from a distant land.(S)
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
    are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

27 It is not good to eat too much honey,(T)
    nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.(U)

28 Like a city whose walls are broken through
    is a person who lacks self-control.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:8 Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / Do not go
  2. Proverbs 25:11 Or possibly apricots