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
Young's Literal Translation
25 Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: --
2 The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings -- [are] unsearchable.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
6 Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
7 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.
8 Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
9 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!
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
