25:1 These are the miscellaneous
instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied
out.
25:2 The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honours
business.
25:3 Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
25:4 Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
25:5 Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in
righteousness.
25:6 Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the
places of princes;
25:7 for [it is] better for thee that it should be said, Come up to me, than
that [one] should humble thee in the presence of the prince; speak of that
which thine eyes have seen.
25:8 Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest thou repent at last.
25:9 Whenever thy friend shall reproach thee, retreat backward, despise
[him] not;
25:10 lest thy friend continue to reproach thee, so thy quarrel and enmity
shall not depart, but shall be to thee like death. Favour and friendship set
[a man] free, which do thou keep for thyself, lest thou be made liable to
reproach; but take heed to thy ways peaceably.
25:11 [As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a
[wise] word.
25:12 In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise
word to an obedient ear.
25:13 As a fall of snow in the time of harvest is good against heat, so a
faithful messenger [refreshes] those that send him; for he helps the souls
of his employers.
25:14 s winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that
boasts of a false gift.
25:15 In long-suffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the
bones.
25:16 Having found honey, eat [only] what is enough, lest haply thou be
filled, and vomit it up.
25:17 Enter sparingly into thy friend's house, lest he be satiated with thy
company, and hate thee.
25:18 [As] a club, and a dagger, and a pointed arrow, so also is a man who
bears false witness against his friend.
25:19 The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in
an evil day.
25:20 As vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts
the heart. As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man
hurts the heart.
25:21 If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
25:22 for so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord
shall reward thee [with] good.
25:23 The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
25:24 [It is] better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing
woman in an open house.
25:25 As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message
from a land far off.
25:26 As if one should stop a well, and corrupt a spring of water, so [is
it] unseemly for a righteous man to fall before an ungodly man.
25:27 [It is] not good to eat much honey; but it is right to honour
venerable sayings.
25:28 As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is
a man who does anything without counsel. |
25:1 These are also proverbs of Solomon,
which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is
to search out a matter.
25:3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings
is unsearchable.
25:4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a
vessel for the finer.
25:5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be
established in righteousness.
25:6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the
place of great men:
25:7 For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that
thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes
have seen.
25:8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the
end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
25:9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret
to another:
25:10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not
away.
25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise
reprover upon an obedient ear.
25:13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger
to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
25:14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without
rain.
25:15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh
the bone.
25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest
thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
25:17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of
thee, and so hate thee.
25:18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and
a sword, and a sharp arrow.
25:19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken
tooth, and a foot out of joint.
25:20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon
nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty,
give him water to drink:
25:22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall
reward thee.
25:23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a
backbiting tongue.
25:24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a
brawling woman and in a wide house.
25:25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
25:26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled
fountain, and a corrupt spring.
25:27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory
is not glory.
25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken
down, and without walls. |