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Proverbs 25
Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 25
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 heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.
4 Remove impurities from silver,(D)
and material will be produced[a] for a silversmith.[b](E)
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,(F)
and his throne will be established in righteousness.(G)
6 Don’t boast 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.[c](H)
8 Don’t take a matter to court hastily.(I)
Otherwise, what will you do afterward
if your opponent[d] humiliates you?
9 Make your case with your opponent
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 in silver settings.(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 envoy
is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;
he refreshes the life of his masters.(M)
14 The one 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 person 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.[f](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)
Footnotes
- 25:4 Lit will come out; Ex 32:24
- 25:4 Or and a vessel will be produced by a silversmith
- 25:7 Lit you before a noble whom your eyes see
- 25:8 Or neighbor, also in v. 9
- 25:10 Lit and your evil report will not turn back
- 25:20 Lit natron, or sodium carbonate
- 25:25 Or a weary person
- 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
Proverbs 25
Good News Translation
Proverbs 25
Good News Translation
More of Solomon's Proverbs
25 Here are more of Solomon's proverbs, copied by scribes at the court of King Hezekiah of Judah.
2 We honor God for what he conceals; we honor kings for what they explain.
3 You never know what a king is thinking; his thoughts are beyond us, like the heights of the sky or the depths of the ocean.
4 Take the impurities out of silver and the artist can produce a thing of beauty. 5 Keep evil advisers away from the king and his government will be known for its justice.
6 (A)When you stand before the king, don't try to impress him and pretend to be important. 7 It is better to be asked to take a higher position than to be told to give your place to someone more important.
8 Don't be too quick to go to court about something you have seen. If another witness later proves you wrong, what will you do then?
9 If you and your neighbor have a difference of opinion, settle it between yourselves and do not reveal any secrets. 10 Otherwise everyone will learn that you can't keep a secret, and you will never live down the shame.
11 An idea well-expressed is like a design of gold, set in silver.
12 A warning given by an experienced person to someone willing to listen is more valuable than gold rings or jewelry made of the finest gold.
13 A reliable messenger is refreshing to the one who sends him, like cold water in the heat of harvest time.
14 People who promise things that they never give are like clouds and wind that bring no rain.
15 Patient persuasion can break down the strongest resistance and can even convince rulers.
16 Never eat more honey than you need; too much may make you vomit. 17 Don't visit your neighbors too often; they may get tired of you and come to hate you.
18 A false accusation is as deadly as a sword, a club, or a sharp arrow.
19 Depending on an unreliable person in a crisis is like trying to chew with a loose tooth or walk with a crippled foot.
20 Singing to a person who is depressed is like taking off a person's clothes on a cold day or like rubbing salt in a wound.
21 (B)If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink. 22 You will make them burn with shame, and the Lord will reward you.
23 Gossip brings anger just as surely as the north wind brings rain.
24 Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife.
25 Finally hearing good news from a distant land is like a drink of cold water when you are dry and thirsty.
26 A good person who gives in to someone who is evil reminds you of a polluted spring or a poisoned well.
27 Too much honey is bad for you, and so is trying to win too much praise.[a]
28 If you cannot control your anger, you are as helpless as a city without walls, open to attack.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:27 Probable text and so … praise; Hebrew unclear.
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Good News Translation (GNT) 
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