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Proverbs 25
New American Standard Bible
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
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 25
Holman 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 heaven is high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.
4 Remove impurities from silver,(D)
and a vessel will be produced[a] for a silversmith.(E)
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,(F)
and his throne will be established in righteousness.(G)
6 Don’t brag 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.[b](H)
8 Don’t take a matter to court hastily.(I)
Otherwise, what will you do afterward
if your opponent[c] humiliates you?
9 Make your case with your opponent[d]
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 on a silver tray.[f](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 messenger
is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;
he refreshes the life of his masters.(M)
14 The man 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 man 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.[g](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)
25 Good news from a distant land
is like cold water to a parched throat.[h](Y)
26 A righteous person who yields to the wicked(Z)
is like a muddied spring or a polluted well.(AA)
27 It is not good to eat too much honey(AB)
or to seek glory after glory.[i](AC)
28 A man who does not control his temper(AD)
is like a city whose wall is broken down.(AE)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:4 Lit will come out; Ex 32:24
- Proverbs 25:7 Lit you before a noble whom your eyes see
- Proverbs 25:8 Or neighbor
- Proverbs 25:9 Or neighbor
- Proverbs 25:10 Lit and your evil report will not turn back
- Proverbs 25:11 Or like apples of gold in settings of silver
- Proverbs 25:20 Lit natron, or sodium carbonate
- Proverbs 25:25 Or a weary person
- Proverbs 25:27 Lit seek their glory, glory
Proverbs 25
New International Version
Proverbs 25
New International Version
More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These are more proverbs(A) of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:(B)
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.(C)
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4 Remove the dross from the silver,
and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
5 remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,(D)
and his throne will be established(E) through righteousness.(F)
6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
and do not claim a place among his great men;
7 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
8 do not bring[a] hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
if your neighbor puts you to shame?(H)
9 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.
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
- Proverbs 25:8 Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / 8 Do not go
- Proverbs 25:11 Or possibly apricots
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Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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