Old/New Testament
The Glory of Searching a Matter
25 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter
and the glory of kings to search it out.
3 As high as heaven and deep as earth,
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4 Remove impurities from silver
and out comes material for the refiner.
5 Remove the wicked from before the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not honor yourself in the king’s presence,
and do not stand in the place of great men.
7 Better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”
than for you to be humiliated before a nobleman.
What your eyes have seen,
8 do not bring hastily to court,
or what will you do afterward,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9 Argue your case with your associate,
without betraying another’s confidence,
10 or the one who hears it will shame you,
and you will never lose your bad reputation.
A Fitting Reproof is Precious
11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver
is a word aptly spoken.
12 Like a gold earring or a gold ornament
is a wise reproof to a receptive ear.
13 Like the coolness of snow at harvest time
is a faithful messenger to those who send him
for he refreshes his master’s soul.
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
is one who boasts about a gift not given.
15 Through patience a ruler may be persuaded,
and a soft tongue can break a bone.
Proverbs for Daily Life
16 When you find honey, eat just enough,
lest you are stuffed and vomit it.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
lest he become weary of you and loathe you.
18 Like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow
is one who bears false witness against his neighbor.
19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
is confidence in the unfaithful in time of trouble.
20 Like taking off a garment on a cold day
or like vinegar poured on soda,
is one 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 on his head[a]
and Adonai will reward you.
23 A north wind brings rain,
and a backbiting tongue angry faces.
24 Better to dwell in a corner of a roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
25 Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
is a righteous person who yields before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey,
or honorable to seek one’s own honor.
28 Like a city whose walls are broken down
is one with no control over his temper.
Folly of Fools
26 Like snow in summer or rain at harvest,
so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a flying swallow,
so an undeserved curse does not land.
3 A whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
else you also will be like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
else he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 Like cutting off one’s feet or drinking violence
is sending a message by a fool’s hand.
7 Like a lame man’s legs that hang limp,
so is a proverb in a fool’s mouth.
8 Like tying a stone into a sling,
so is giving honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn bush in a drunkard’s hand
is a proverb in a fool’s mouth.
10 Like an archer who wounds at random
is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his folly.[b]
12 Do you see one wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than him.
Folly of Slackers
13 A slacker says,
“There’s a lion on the road!
A lion is in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges
so a slacker turns on his bed.
15 The slacker plunges his hand in the dish—
he is too tired to bring it back to his mouth.
16 A slacker is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who answer sensibly.
Folly of Lashon Ha-Ra
17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears
is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18 Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows
19 so is one who deceives his friend, and says, “I was only joking.”
20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip quarrels cease.
21 As coals are to embers and wood to fire,
so is a contentious person to kindling strife.
22 A gossip’s words are like tasty morsels—
they slide down into the innermost parts of the body.
23 Like silver glaze overlaying earthenware
are fervent[c] lips with an evil heart.
24 One who hates, disguises it with his lips,
but he stores up deceit within him.
25 When he speaks favorably, do not believe him,
for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred may be concealed
by deceit, his evil will be exposed before the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall in it,
and whoever rolls a stone—it will come back upon him.
28 A lying tongue hates those crushed by it,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
9 Now about this service to the kedoshim, it is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you— 2 for I know your eagerness. I boast about it to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been preparing for a year already; and your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you may not be in vain in this case, so that you may be prepared, just as I kept saying. 4 Otherwise, if any Macedonians were to come and find you unprepared, we—not to mention you—would be put to shame in this undertaking. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on to you and arrange ahead of time your generous gift that had been promised beforehand, so that it would be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.
Sowing and Reaping Generosity
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. [a] 7 Let each one give as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion—for God loves a cheerful giver. [b] 8 And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that by always having enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He scattered widely, He gave to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”[c]
10 Now the One who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. [d] 11 You will be enriched in everything for all generosity, which through us brings about thanksgiving to God. 12 For this service of giving is not only supplying the needs of the kedoshim, but is also overflowing with many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the evidence of this service, they praise God for the obedience of your affirmation of the Good News of Messiah and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to everyone. 14 And in their prayer for you, they long for you because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.