Old/New Testament

² God is honored for what he keeps secret.
    Kings are honored for what they can discover.

³ No one can measure the height of the skies or the depth of the earth.
    So also no one can understand the mind of a king.

⁴ Remove the scum from the silver,
    so the silver can be used by the silversmith.
⁵ Remove wicked people from the king’s presence;
    then his government will be honest and last a long time.

⁶ Don’t brag to the king
    and act as if you are great.
⁷ It is better for him to give you a higher position
    than to bring you down in front of the prince.

Because of something you have seen,
⁸ do not quickly take someone to court.
What will you do later
    when your neighbor proves you wrong?

⁹ If you have an argument with your neighbor,
    don’t tell other people what was said.
¹⁰ Whoever hears it might shame you,
    and you might not ever be respected again.

¹¹ The right word spoken at the right time
    is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl.

¹² A wise warning to someone who will listen
    is as valuable as gold earrings or fine gold jewelry.

¹³ Trustworthy messengers refresh those who send them,
    like the coolness of snow in the summertime.

¹⁴ People who brag about gifts they never give
    are like clouds and wind that give no rain.

¹⁵ With patience you can convince a ruler,
    and a gentle word can get through to the hard-headed.

¹⁶ If you find honey, don’t eat too much,
    or it will make you throw up.
¹⁷ Don’t go to your neighbor’s house too often;
    too much of you will make him hate you.

¹⁸ When you lie about your neighbors,
    it hurts them as much as a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

¹⁹ Trusting unfaithful people when you are in trouble
    is like eating with a broken tooth or walking with a crippled foot.

²⁰ Singing songs to someone who is sad
    is like taking away his coat on a cold day
    or pouring vinegar on soda.

²¹ If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
    If he is thirsty, give him a drink.
²² Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his head,
    and the Lord will reward you.

²³ As the north wind brings rain,
    telling gossip brings angry looks.

²⁴ It is better to live in a corner on the roof^[a]
    than inside the house with a quarreling wife.

²⁵ Good news from a faraway place
    is like a cool drink when you are tired.

²⁶ A good person who gives in to evil
    is like a muddy spring or a dirty well.

²⁷ It is not good to eat too much honey,
    nor does it bring you honor to brag about yourself.

²⁸ Those who do not control themselves
    are like a city whose walls are broken down.

26 It shouldn’t snow in summer or rain at harvest.
    Neither should a foolish person ever be honored.

² Curses will not harm someone who is innocent;
    they are like sparrows or swallows that fly around and never land.

³ Whips are for horses, and harnesses are for donkeys,
    so paddles are good for fools.

⁴ Don’t answer fools when they speak foolishly,
    or you will be just like them.

⁵ Answer fools when they speak foolishly,
    or they will think they are really wise.

⁶ Sending a message by a foolish person
    is like cutting off your feet or drinking poison.

⁷ A wise saying spoken by a fool
    is as useless as the legs of a crippled person.

⁸ Giving honor to a foolish person
    is like tying a stone in a slingshot.

⁹ A wise saying spoken by a fool
    is like a thorn stuck in the hand of a drunk.

¹⁰ Hiring a foolish person or anyone just passing by
    is like an archer shooting at just anything.

¹¹ A fool who repeats his foolishness
    is like a dog that goes back to what it has thrown up.

¹² There is more hope for a foolish person
    than for those who think they are wise.

¹³ The lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the road!
    There’s a lion in the streets!”

¹⁴ Like a door turning back and forth on its hinges,
    the lazy person turns over and over in bed.

¹⁵ Lazy people may put their hands in the dish,
    but they are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.

¹⁶ The lazy person thinks he is wiser
    than seven people who give sensible answers.

¹⁷ Interfering in someone else’s quarrel as you pass by
    is like grabbing a dog by the ears.

¹⁸ Like a madman shooting
    deadly, burning arrows
¹⁹ is the one who tricks a neighbor
    and then says, “I was just joking.”

²⁰ Without wood, a fire will go out,
    and without gossip, quarreling will stop.

²¹ Just as charcoal and wood keep a fire going,
    a quarrelsome person keeps an argument going.

²² The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food;
    people like to gobble them up.

²³ Kind words from a wicked mind
    are like a shiny coating on a clay pot.

²⁴ Those who hate you may try to fool you with their words,
    but in their minds they are planning evil.
²⁵ People’s words may be kind, but don’t believe them,
    because their minds are full of evil thoughts.
²⁶ Lies can hide hate,
    but the evil will be plain to everyone.

²⁷ Whoever digs a pit for others will fall into it.
    Whoever tries to roll a boulder down on others will be crushed by it.

²⁸ Liars hate the people they hurt,
    and false praise can ruin others.

“He gives freely to the poor.
    The things he does are right and will continue forever.” Psalm 112:9