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Proverbs 25
New Life Version
Proverbs 25
New Life Version
25 These also are wise sayings of Solomon, which were written down by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
2 It is the greatness of God to keep things hidden, but it is the greatness of kings to find things out. 3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the heart of kings is more than can be known. 4 Take away the waste from the silver, and a silver pot comes out for the workman. 5 Take the sinful away from the king, and his throne will stand on what is right and good. 6 Do not honor yourself in front of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men. 7 For it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put down in front of the ruler whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not go out in a hurry to argue. Or what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? 9 Argue your side of the problem with your neighbor, but do not tell the secret of another. 10 Or he who hears you may put you to shame, and bad things will be said about you forever.
11 A word spoken at the right time is like fruit of gold set in silver.
12 A wise man speaking strong words to a listening ear is like a piece of gold for the ear and a beautiful object of fine gold.
13 A faithful man who carries news is like the cold of snow at gathering time to those who send him, for he makes the spirit of his owners feel new again.
14 A man who talks much of a gift he never gives is like clouds and wind without rain. 15 When one is slow to anger, a ruler may be won over. A gentle tongue will break a bone.
16 Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, or you may become filled with it and spit it up.
17 Do not let your foot be in your neighbor’s house too much, or he may become tired of you and hate you.
18 A man who tells a lie against his neighbor is like a heavy stick or a sword or a sharp arrow.
19 In time of trouble, trusting in a man who is not faithful is like a bad tooth or a foot out of joint.
20 He who sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a coat on a cold day, or like sour wine poured on soda.
21 If the one who hates you is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him water. 22 If you do that, you will be making him more ashamed of himself, and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings rain, and a tongue that hurts people brings angry looks.
24 It is better to live in a corner of the roof than in a house shared with an arguing woman.
25 Good news from a land far away is like cold water to a tired soul.
26 A man who does what is right but gives way in front of the sinful, is like a well of mud or poisoned water.
27 It is not good to eat much honey, and looking for honor is not good.
28 A man who cannot rule his own spirit is like a city whose walls are broken down.
Proverbs 25
New King James Version
Proverbs 25
New King James Version
Further Wise Sayings of Solomon
25 These(A) also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
2 (B)It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of 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 (C)Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
5 Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in (D)righteousness.
6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;
7 (E)For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.
8 (F)Do not go hastily to [a]court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?
9 (G)Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;
10 Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And [b]your reputation be ruined.
11 A word fitly (H)spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.
12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
13 (I)Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
15 (L)By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
16 Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.
18 (M)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 bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
20 Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who (N)sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 (O)If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
(P)And the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And (Q)a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24 (R)It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 As cold water to a weary soul,
So is (S)good news from a far country.
26 A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a [c]polluted well.
27 It is not good to eat much honey;
So (T)to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
28 (U)Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:8 Lit. contend or bring a lawsuit
- Proverbs 25:10 the evil report concerning you not pass away
- Proverbs 25:26 ruined
Proverbs 25
International Standard Version
Proverbs 25
International Standard Version
More Proverbs from Solomon
25 Here are some more proverbs by Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
3 Just as the heavens are high
and earth is deep,
so the heart of a king is unfathomable.
4 Purge the dross from the silver,
and material for[a] a vessel comes forth for the silversmith.
5 Purge the wicked from the king’s presence,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Don’t magnify yourself in the presence of a king,
and don’t pretend to be in the company of famous men,
7 for it is better that it be told you, “Come up here,”
than for you to be placed lower
in the presence of an official.
What you’ve seen with your own eyes,
8 don’t be in a hurry to argue in court.
Otherwise, what will you do later on
when your neighbor humiliates you?
9 Instead, take up the matter with your neighbor,
and don’t betray another person’s confidence.
10 Otherwise, anyone who hears will make you ashamed,
and your bad reputation will never leave you.
11 Like golden apples set in silver
is a word spoken at the right time.
12 Like a gold earring and a necklace of pure gold
is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
13 Like cold snow during harvest time
is a faithful messenger to those who send him;
he refreshes his masters.
14 Like clouds and winds without rain
is the man who brags
about gifts he never gave.
15 Through patience a ruler may be persuaded;
a gentle word[b] can break a bone.
16 If you find some honey,
eat only what you need.
Take too much,
and you’ll vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s home;
otherwise, he’ll grow weary and hate you.
18 A club, a sword, and a sharp arrow—
that’s what a man is who lies about his neighbor.
19 A bad tooth and an unsteady foot—
that’s what confidence in an unreliable man is like
in a time of trouble.
20 Taking your coat off when it’s cold
or pouring vinegar on soda—
that’s what singing songs does to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy hungers, give him food to eat;
and if he thirsts, give him water to drink.
22 For you’ll be piling burning coals of shame[c] on his head
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings rain,
and a backbiting tongue an angry look.
24 It’s better to live in a corner on the roof
than in a house with a contentious woman.
25 Cold water to someone who is thirsty[d]—
that’s what good news from a distant land is.
26 A muddied spring or a polluted well—
that’s what a righteous person is
who compromises with the wicked.
27 To eat too much honey isn’t good;
and neither is it honorable to seek one’s own glory.
28 Like a city with breached walls
is a man without self-control.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:4 The Heb. lacks material for
- Proverbs 25:15 Lit. tongue
- Proverbs 25:22 The Heb. lacks of shame
- Proverbs 25:25 Or tired
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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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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