Proverbs 25
Evangelical Heritage Version
More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These also are the proverbs of Solomon,
which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah compiled.[a]
2 It brings glory to God to hide a matter,
but it brings glory to kings to investigate a matter.
3 As heaven is high and earth is deep,
so there is no searching the heart of kings.
4 Remove impurities from silver,
and a vessel can be cast by a silversmith.
5 Remove a wicked person from a king’s presence,
and his throne will be established with righteousness.
6 Do not honor yourself in a king’s presence.
Do not stand in a place reserved for great people,
7 because it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than for you to be humiliated before a ruler
whom your eyes have seen.[b]
8 Do not be in a hurry to go to court.
Otherwise, what will you do afterward,
when your neighbor humiliates you?
9 Argue your case with your neighbor,
but do not reveal someone else’s secret.
10 If you do, the person who hears it will shame you,
and your bad reputation will never leave you.
11 A word spoken at the right time
is like golden apples in silver settings.
12 To ears that listen, a wise person’s correction
is like a gold ring or like jewelry made of pure gold.
13 To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger
is like cooling snow on a warm day during harvest.
He refreshes his masters’ spirits.
14 A person who brags about a gift that is never given
is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.
15 By patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a soft tongue can break a bone.
16 When you find honey, eat only what you need.
Otherwise you will be filled with it and vomit it up.
17 Do not set foot in your neighbor’s house too often.
If you do, he will have too much of you and hate you.
18 A person who gives false testimony against his neighbor
is a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful person during a time of crisis
is like a broken tooth or a lame foot.
20 Singing songs to a despondent heart
is like taking off a coat on a cold day
or like vinegar on baking soda.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink,
22 because you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will repay you.
23 A north wind gives birth to rain,
and a whispering tongue gives birth to angry faces.
24 Better to live on the corner of a roof
than in a home shared with a nagging wife.
25 Good news from a distant country is
like cold water for a weary soul.
26 A righteous person who is swayed by the wicked
is a muddied spring or a polluted fountain.
27 Eating too much honey is not good,
and people seeking their own glory is not glorious.[c]
28 A person who lacks self-control
is like a broken-down city without a wall.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:1 Or transcribed
- Proverbs 25:7 Many translations associate this line with verse 8: What you have seen with your eye do not bring quickly into court. Manuscript evidence supports a connection with verse 7, but sense seems to favor including it with verse 8.
- Proverbs 25:27 The line is cryptic.
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
GOD’S WORD Translation
25 These also are Solomon’s proverbs that were copied by the men of King Hezekiah of Judah.
Advice for Kings
2 It is the glory of God to hide things
but the glory of kings to investigate them.
3 ⌞Like⌟ the high heavens and the deep earth,
so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take the impurities out of silver,
and a vessel is ready for the silversmith to mold.
5 Take a wicked person away from the presence of a king,
and justice will make his throne secure.
6 Do not brag about yourself in front of a king
or stand in the spot that belongs to notable people,
7 because it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put down in front of a prince
whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not be in a hurry to go to court.
What will you do in the end if your neighbor disgraces you?
9 Present your argument to your neighbor,
but do not reveal another person’s secret.
10 Otherwise, when he hears about it, he will humiliate you,
and his evil report about you will never disappear.
11 ⌞Like⌟ golden apples in silver settings,
⌞so⌟ is a word spoken at the right time.
12 ⌞Like⌟ a gold ring and a fine gold ornament,
⌞so⌟ is constructive criticism to the ear of one who listens.
13 Like the coolness of snow on a harvest day,
⌞so⌟ is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him:
He refreshes his masters.
14 ⌞Like⌟ a dense fog or a dust storm,
⌞so⌟ is a person who brags about a gift that he does not give.
15 With patience you can persuade a ruler,
and a soft tongue can break bones.
16 When you find honey, eat only as much as you need.
Otherwise, you will have too much and vomit.
17 Do not set foot in your neighbor’s house too often.
Otherwise, he will see too much of you and hate you.
18 ⌞Like⌟ a club and a sword and a sharp arrow,
⌞so⌟ is a person who gives false testimony against his neighbor.
19 ⌞Like⌟ a broken tooth and a lame foot,
⌞so⌟ is confidence in an unfaithful person in a ⌞time of⌟ crisis.
20 ⌞Like⌟ taking off a coat on a cold day
or pouring vinegar on baking soda,
so is singing songs to one who has an evil heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him some food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him some water to drink.
22 ⌞In this way⌟ you will make him feel guilty and ashamed,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 ⌞As⌟ the north wind brings rain,
so a whispering tongue brings angry looks.
24 Better to live on a corner of a roof
than to share a home with a quarreling woman.
25 ⌞Like⌟ cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from far away.
26 ⌞Like⌟ a muddied spring and a polluted well,
⌞so⌟ is a righteous person who gives in to a wicked person.
27 Eating too much honey is not good,
and searching for honor is not honorable.
28 ⌞Like⌟ a city broken into ⌞and⌟ left without a wall,
⌞so⌟ is a person who lacks self-control.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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