Proverbs 25
New American Standard Bible
Similitudes and Instructions
25 These also are (A)proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.
2 It is the glory of God to (B)conceal a matter,
But the glory of (C)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 Take away the [a](D)impurities from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the (E)smith;
5 Take away the (F)wicked before the king,
And his (G)throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not boast in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the same place [b]as great people;
7 For (H)it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not go out (I)hastily to [c]argue your case;
[d]Otherwise, what will you do in [e]the end,
When your neighbor humiliates you?
9 [f](J)Argue your case with your neighbor,
And (K)do not reveal the secret of another,
10 Or one who hears it will put you to shame,
And the evil report about you will not [g]pass away.
11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver,
Is a (L)word spoken at [h]the proper time.
12 Like [i]an (M)earring of gold and a (N)jewelry piece of (O)fine gold,
Is a wise person who offers rebukes to a (P)listening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the [j]time of harvest
Is a (Q)faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Like (R)clouds and (S)wind without rain
Is a person who boasts [k]of his gifts falsely.
15 Through [l](T)patience a ruler may be persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks bone.
16 Have you (U)found honey? Eat only [m]what you need,
So that you do not have it in excess and vomit it.
17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become [n]weary of you and hate you.
18 Like a club, a (V)sword, and a sharp (W)arrow
Is a person who gives (X)false testimony against his neighbor.
19 Like a bad tooth and [o]an unsteady foot
Is confidence in a (Y)treacherous person in time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on [p]soda,
Is one who sings songs to [q]a troubled heart.
21 (Z)If [r]your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For you will [s]heap burning coals on his head,
And (AA)the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings rain,
And a [t](AB)gossiping tongue brings an angry face.
24 It is (AC)better to live on a corner of the roof,
Than [u]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 Like cold water to a weary soul,
So is (AD)good news from a distant land.
26 Like a (AE)trampled spring and a [v]polluted well,
So is a righteous person who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey,
Nor is it glory to (AF)search out [w]one’s own glory.
28 Like a (AG)city that is broken into and without walls
So is a person (AH)who has no self-control over his spirit.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:4 Lit dross
- Proverbs 25:6 Lit of
- Proverbs 25:8 Lit contend
- Proverbs 25:8 Lit Lest
- Proverbs 25:8 Lit its
- Proverbs 25:9 Lit Contend
- Proverbs 25:10 Lit return
- Proverbs 25:11 Lit its time
- Proverbs 25:12 Or a nose ring
- Proverbs 25:13 Lit day
- Proverbs 25:14 Lit in a gift of falsehood
- Proverbs 25:15 Lit length of anger
- Proverbs 25:16 Lit your sufficiency
- Proverbs 25:17 Lit surfeited with
- Proverbs 25:19 Lit a slipping foot
- Proverbs 25:20 I.e., natron
- Proverbs 25:20 Lit an evil
- Proverbs 25:21 Lit one who hates you
- Proverbs 25:22 Lit snatch up
- Proverbs 25:23 Lit tongue of secrecy
- Proverbs 25:24 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association
- Proverbs 25:26 Lit ruined
- Proverbs 25:27 Lit their
Proverbs 25
Common English Bible
More proverbs of Solomon
25 These are also proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah:
2 It is the glory of God to hide something
and the glory of kings to discover something.
3 Like the high heavens and the depths of the earth,
so the mind of a king is unsearchable.
4 Remove the dross from the silver,
and a vessel will come out for the refiner.
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
or stand in the place of important people,
7 because it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
than to be demoted before a ruler.
What your eyes see, 8 don’t be quick to quarrel over;
what will you do in the future when your neighbor shames you?
9 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
- Proverbs 25:20 LXX; MT vinegar on natron (a detergent)
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