Proverbs 25
Christian Standard Bible
Hezekiah’s Collection
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter(C)
and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.
4 Remove impurities from silver,(D)
and material will be produced[a] for a silversmith.[b](E)
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,(F)
and his throne will be established in righteousness.(G)
6 Don’t boast about yourself before the king,
and don’t stand in the place of the great;
7 for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!”
than to demote you in plain view of a noble.[c](H)
8 Don’t take a matter to court hastily.(I)
Otherwise, what will you do afterward
if your opponent[d] humiliates you?
9 Make your case with your opponent
without revealing another’s secret;(J)
10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,
and you’ll never live it down.[e]
11 A word spoken at the right time
is like gold apples in silver settings.(K)
12 A wise correction to a receptive ear(L)
is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.
13 To those who send him, a trustworthy envoy
is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;
he refreshes the life of his masters.(M)
14 The one who boasts about a gift that does not exist
is like clouds and wind without rain.(N)
15 A ruler can be persuaded through patience,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.(O)
16 If you find honey,(P) eat only what you need;
otherwise, you’ll get sick from it and vomit.(Q)
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house;
otherwise, he’ll get sick of you and hate you.
18 A person giving false testimony against his neighbor(R)
is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.(S)
19 Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time
is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.(T)
20 Singing songs to a troubled heart
is like taking off clothing on a cold day
or like pouring vinegar on soda.[f](U)
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,(V)
22 for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.(W)
23 The north wind produces rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
24 Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.(X)
Footnotes
- 25:4 Lit will come out; Ex 32:24
- 25:4 Or and a vessel will be produced by a silversmith
- 25:7 Lit you before a noble whom your eyes see
- 25:8 Or neighbor, also in v. 9
- 25:10 Lit and your evil report will not turn back
- 25:20 Lit natron, or sodium carbonate
- 25:25 Or a weary person
- 25:27 Lit seek their glory, glory
Proverbs 25
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Further Wise Sayings of Solomon
25 These are other proverbs of Solomon that the officials of King Hezekiah of Judah copied.(A)
2 It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out.(B)
3 Like the heavens for height, like the earth for depth,
so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the dross from the silver,
and the smith has material for a vessel;(C)
5 take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.(D)
6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
What your eyes have seen(E)
8 do not hastily bring into court,
for[a] what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?(F)
9 Argue your case with your neighbor directly,
and do not disclose another’s secret,(G)
10 or else someone who hears you will bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute will have no end.
11 A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.(H)
12 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold
is a wise rebuke to a listening ear.(I)
13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
are faithful messengers to those who send them;
they refresh the spirit of their masters.(J)
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
is one who boasts of a gift never given.(K)
15 With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
and a soft tongue can break bones.(L)
16 If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,
lest, having too much, you vomit it up.(M)
17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house,
lest the neighbor become weary of you and hate you.
18 Like a war club, a sword, or a sharp arrow
is one who bears false witness against a neighbor.(N)
19 Like a bad tooth or a lame foot
is trust in a faithless person in time of trouble.
20 Like vinegar on a wound[b]
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
Like a moth in clothing or a worm in wood,
sorrow gnaws at the human heart.[c]
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat,
and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink,(O)
22 for you will heap coals of fire on their heads,
and the Lord will reward you.(P)
23 The north wind produces rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.(Q)
24 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a contentious wife.(R)
25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from a far country.(S)
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
are the righteous who give way before the wicked.(T)
27 It is not good to eat much honey
or to seek honor on top of honor.(U)
28 Like a city breached, without walls,
is one who lacks self-control.(V)
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.