所罗门的箴言(续)

25 以下也是所罗门的箴言,由犹大王希西迦的人抄录。

将事隐藏是上帝的荣耀,
    把事查明是君王的光荣。
天之高,地之厚,
    君王的心测不透。
除掉银子里的渣滓,
    银匠就能铸造器皿。
清除君王身边的恶人,
    王位必因公义而巩固。
不可在王面前妄自尊大,
    不要占据大人物的位子。
与其在权贵面前受羞辱,
    不如等人邀请你坐上座。
不可鲁莽地打官司,
    以免败诉、羞愧难当。
遇到跟邻舍争讼,
    不可泄露其秘密,
10 免得听见的人辱骂你,
    你的恶名将永难洗刷。
11 一句话说得合宜,
    就像金苹果放在银器里。
12 对受教者而言,
    智者的责备犹如金耳环和金饰物。
13 忠信的使者叫主人心里舒畅,
    就像夏收之时有冰雪的凉气。
14 夸口送礼物却食言的人,
    就像没有雨水的风和云。
15 坚忍说服君王,
    柔舌折断骨头。
16 找到蜂蜜要酌量而食,
    免得吃多了呕吐。
17 不要频频去邻舍家,
    免得惹人烦、遭人厌。
18 作伪证陷害邻舍的人,
    无异于大锤、刀和利箭。
19 危难时投靠奸诈之人,
    形同倚靠坏牙和跛脚。
20 对忧伤的人唱歌,
    如同天寒脱衣、伤口撒盐。
21 你的仇敌若饿了,
    就给他吃的;
    若渴了,就给他水喝;
22 因为你这是把炭火堆在他头上,
    耶和华必奖赏你。
23 北风带来雨水,
    谗言激起愤怒。
24 宁愿住在屋顶的一角,
    不跟争闹的妻子同屋。
25 有好消息从远方传来,
    如凉水滋润干渴的人。
26 义人向恶人低头,
    就像清泉被搅浑,
    水井受污染。
27 蜂蜜吃得太多有害无益,
    追求自己的荣耀也不光彩。
28 无法自制的人就像被攻破的无墙之城。

25 Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: --

The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.

The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings -- [are] unsearchable.

Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,

Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.

Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.

For better [that] he hath said to thee, `Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.

Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?

Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,

10 Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.

11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.

12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.

13 As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.

14 Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.

15 By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.

16 Honey thou hast found -- eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.

17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.

18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.

19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.

20 Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.

21 If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.

22 For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.

23 A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue -- indignant faces.

24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.

25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.

26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.

27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour -- honour.

28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!

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

Further Wise Sayings of Solomon

25 These(A) also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

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

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

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

Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;
(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.

(F)Do not go hastily to [a]court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?
(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.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:8 Lit. contend or bring a lawsuit
  2. Proverbs 25:10 the evil report concerning you not pass away
  3. Proverbs 25:26 ruined