Proverbs 25
Modern English Version
More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing,
but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
3 As the heaven for height, and the earth for depth,
so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the dross from the silver,
and there will come forth a vessel for the refiner.
5 Take away the wicked from before the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
and do not stand in the place of great men;
7 for it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not go forth hastily to strive;
lest you do not know what to do in the end,
when your neighbor has put you to shame.
9 Debate your cause with your neighbor himself,
and do not disclose a secret to another;
10 lest he who hears it put you to shame,
and your reputation be ruined.
11 A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
12 As an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold,
so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest,
so is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
for he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Whoever boasts himself of a false gift
is like clouds and wind without rain.
15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded,
and a soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 Have you found honey? Eat only as much as is sufficient for you,
lest you be filled with it and vomit it.
17 Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house,
lest he be weary of you and so hate you.
18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
is like a club, 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 who takes away a garment in cold weather,
and as vinegar on soda,
so is he who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 for you will heap coals of fire upon his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings rain,
and a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop
than with a brawling woman 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 who has no rule over his own spirit
is like a city that is broken down and without walls.
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
Proverbes 25
Louis Segond
25 Voici encore des Proverbes de Salomon, recueillis par les gens d'Ézéchias, roi de Juda.
2 La gloire de Dieu, c'est de cacher les choses; La gloire des rois, c'est de sonder les choses.
3 Les cieux dans leur hauteur, la terre dans sa profondeur, Et le coeur des rois, sont impénétrables.
4 Ote de l'argent les scories, Et il en sortira un vase pour le fondeur.
5 Ote le méchant de devant le roi, Et son trône s'affermira par la justice.
6 Ne t'élève pas devant le roi, Et ne prends pas la place des grands;
7 Car il vaut mieux qu'on te dise: Monte-ici! Que si l'on t'abaisse devant le prince que tes yeux voient.
8 Ne te hâte pas d'entrer en contestation, De peur qu'à la fin tu ne saches que faire, Lorsque ton prochain t'aura outragé.
9 Défends ta cause contre ton prochain, Mais ne révèle pas le secret d'un autre,
10 De peur qu'en l'apprenant il ne te couvre de honte, Et que ta mauvaise renommée ne s'efface pas.
11 Comme des pommes d'or sur des ciselures d'argent, Ainsi est une parole dite à propos.
12 Comme un anneau d'or et une parure d'or fin, Ainsi pour une oreille docile est le sage qui réprimande.
13 Comme la fraîcheur de la neige au temps de la moisson, Ainsi est un messager fidèle pour celui qui l'envoie; Il restaure l'âme de son maître.
14 Comme des nuages et du vent sans pluie, Ainsi est un homme se glorifiant à tort de ses libéralités.
15 Par la lenteur à la colère on fléchit un prince, Et une langue douce peut briser des os.
16 Si tu trouves du miel, n'en mange que ce qui te suffit, De peur que tu n'en sois rassasié et que tu ne le vomisses.
17 Mets rarement le pied dans la maison de ton prochain, De peur qu'il ne soit rassasié de toi et qu'il ne te haïsse.
18 Comme une massue, une épée et une flèche aiguë, Ainsi est un homme qui porte un faux témoignage contre son prochain.
19 Comme une dent cassée et un pied qui chancelle, Ainsi est la confiance en un perfide au jour de la détresse.
20 Oter son vêtement dans un jour froid, Répandre du vinaigre sur du nitre, C'est dire des chansons à un coeur attristé.
21 Si ton ennemi a faim, donne-lui du pain à manger; S'il a soif, donne-lui de l'eau à boire.
22 Car ce sont des charbons ardents que tu amasses sur sa tête, Et l'Éternel te récompensera.
23 Le vent du nord enfante la pluie, Et la langue mystérieuse un visage irrité.
24 Mieux vaut habiter à l'angle d'un toit, Que de partager la demeure d'une femme querelleuse.
25 Comme de l'eau fraîche pour une personne fatiguée, Ainsi est une bonne nouvelle venant d'une terre lointaine.
26 Comme une fontaine troublée et une source corrompue, Ainsi est le juste qui chancelle devant le méchant.
27 Il n'est pas bon de manger beaucoup de miel, Mais rechercher la gloire des autres est un honneur.
28 Comme une ville forcée et sans murailles, Ainsi est l'homme qui n'est pas maître de lui-même.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.