Add parallel Print Page Options

More proverbs of Solomon

25 These are also proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah:

It is the glory of God to hide something
    and the glory of kings to discover something.
Like the high heavens and the depths of the earth,
    so the mind of a king is unsearchable.

Remove the dross from the silver,
    and a vessel will come out for the refiner.
Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.

Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
    or stand in the place of important people,
    because it is better that he say to you,
    “Come up here,”
    than to be demoted before a ruler.

What your eyes see, don’t be quick to quarrel over;
    what will you do in the future when your neighbor shames you?
Argue it out with your neighbor,
    and don’t give away someone’s secret.
10 Otherwise, the one who hears it will vilify you;
    the slander against you will never stop.

11 Words spoken at the right time
    are like gold apples in a silver setting.
12 Wise correction to an ear that listens
    is like a gold earring or jewelry of fine gold.

13 Like the coolness of snow on a harvest day
    are reliable messengers to those who send them;
    they restore the life of their master.
14 People who brag about a gift never given
    are like clouds and wind that produce no rain.
15 A commander can be persuaded with patience,
    and a tender tongue can break a bone.
16 If you find honey, eat just the right amount;
    otherwise, you’ll get full and vomit it up.
17 Don’t spend too much time in your neighbor’s house.
    Otherwise, they’ll get fed up with you and hate you.
18 People who testify falsely against their neighbors
    are like a club, sword, and sharpened arrow.
19 Trusting a treacherous person at a difficult time
    is like having a bad tooth or a wobbly foot.
20 Singing a song to a troubled heart
    is like taking off a garment on a cold day
    or putting vinegar on a wound.[a]
21 If your enemies are starving, feed them some bread;
    if they are thirsty, give them water to drink.
22 By doing this, you will heap burning coals on their heads,
    and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind stirs up rain,
    and a person who plots quietly provokes angry faces.
24 Better to live on the edge of a roof
    than to share a house with a contentious woman.
25 Good news from a distant land
    is like cold water for a weary person.
26 A righteous person giving in to the wicked
    is like a contaminated spring or a polluted fountain.
27 Eating too much honey isn’t good,
    nor is it appropriate to seek honor.
28 A person without self-control
    is like a breached city, one with no walls.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:20 LXX; MT vinegar on natron (a detergent)

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

25 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:

For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Flera ordspråk av Salomo

25 Dessa Salomos ordspråk upptäcktes och nedtecknades av kung Hiskias rådgivare i Juda.

2-3 Det är Guds privilegium att dölja vissa saker och kungens privilegium att upptäcka dem. Man kan varken fatta himlens höjd, jordens storlek eller det som rör sig i kungens tankar!

4-5 När man tar bort slagget från silvret, får silversmeden ren metall att göra ett dyrbart smycke av. När man rensar ut de korrumperade männen från kungens hov, kommer hans regering att bli stark.

6-7 När kungen tar emot dig i audiens så försök inte att göra intryck på honom och framstå som en betydelsefull person. Det är bättre att bli erbjuden en högre ställning än att behöva lämna sin plats till någon mer ansedd person.

8-10 Var inte för kvick och rusa till domstol när du sett något misstänkt. Om ett annat vittne visar att du har fel, vad ska du då göra? Om du ligger i strid med din granne så gör upp inbördes, men säg inte till någon annan vad han sagt till dig i förtroende. Du kan då bli anklagad för skvaller och avskydd av alla.

11 Goda råd i rätt tid är lika vackra som guldäpplen på ett silverfat.

12 Positiv kritik, som framförs av en person med erfarenhet, är lika värdefull som ett smycke av finaste guld.

13 En pålitlig budbärare är lika välkommen som ett svalkande regn under den heta sommaren.

14 Den som inte ger den gåva han lovat är som ett moln som driver över öknen utan att avge en droppe regn.

15 Ha tålamod, så vinner du till slut. Stillsam övertalning kan bryta ner det starkaste motstånd.

16 Tycker du om honung? Ät inte för mycket, för då kommer du att må illa!

17 Besök inte din granne för ofta, för då sliter du ut tröskeln till hans hem och är till slut inte välkommen!

18 Att ljuga om någon är lika skadligt som att slå honom med en yxa, såra honom med ett svärd eller skjuta honom med en vass pil.

19 Att lita på en opålitlig person i en krissituation är som att tugga med trasiga tänder eller försöka springa med en bruten fot.

20 Att försöka sjunga sånger för en person vars inre är tyngt av sorg är lika fruktansvärt som att stjäla hans rock i kylan eller gnida in salt i hans sår.

21-22 Om din fiende är hungrig, ska du ge honom mat! Om han är törstig, ska du ge honom något att dricka! Detta kommer att få honom att skämmas, och Herren ska belöna dig.

23 Lika säkert som vinden från norr för med sig kyla, lika säkert orsakar skvaller ilska!

24 Det är bättre att bo i ett litet rum på vinden än att dela en hel våning med en envis och tjatig kvinna.

25 Goda nyheter långt bortifrån är som kallt vatten för den törstige.

26 Om en god människa kommer under en ogudaktigs inflytande är han lika obrukbar som vattnet från en förgiftad brunn eller ett förorenat vattendrag.

27 Det är lika skadligt för människor att tänka på all uppskattning de är förtjänta av som att äta för mycket honung!

28 Den som inte kan behärska sig är lika försvarslös som en stad med nedrivna murar.