Châm Ngôn 25

Proverbs copied by Hezekiah’s officials

¹These too are proverbs of Solomon, collected and copied by the officials of Hezekiah, king of Judah. ²God is honored for keeping things hidden, \q and kings are honored for getting to the bottom of things. ³As high as the heavens and as deep as the earth, \q so the mind of a king is beyond anyone’s probing. ⁴Take the impurities out of silver, \q and the smith has material for a fine vessel. ⁵Take the wicked out of the king’s presence, \q and his throne will be made secure by justice. ⁶Do not promote yourself in the king’s presence \q or take your stand among the great, ⁷for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” \q than to be sent lower in front of a noble \q you have seen with your own eyes.^{a 8}Do not rush to bring a case to court, \q for what will you do at the end \q if your neighbor proves you wrong and shames you? ⁹Argue your case with your neighbor directly, \q and do not give away someone else’s secret, ¹⁰or whoever hears it will shame you, \q and your bad reputation will never go away. ¹¹Like golden apples set in silver \q is a word spoken at just the right moment.^{b 12}A wise person’s rebuke, given to an ear that listens, \q is a gold earring, a jewel of the finest gold. ¹³Like the coolness of snow in harvest time \q is a reliable messenger to those who send them; \q they refresh the spirit of their masters.

¹⁴Like clouds and wind that bring no rain \q is someone who brags about gifts they never give. ¹⁵With patience you can win over a ruler, \q and a gentle tongue can break bone. ¹⁶If you find honey, eat only what you need, \q or you will have too much and throw it up. ¹⁷Do not set foot in your neighbor’s house too often, \q or they will get tired of you and come to dislike you. ¹⁸Anyone who gives false testimony against a neighbor \q is a war club, a sword, a sharpened arrow. ¹⁹Like a bad tooth or a lame foot \q is trust in a traitor when trouble comes. ²⁰Like taking someone’s coat away on a cold day, or like pouring vinegar on soda, \q is singing cheerful songs to a heavy heart.^c

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give them something to eat; \q if they are thirsty, give them water to drink, ²²for you will be heaping burning coals on their head, \q and the LORD will reward you.^{d 23}As a north wind brings rain, \q so a gossiping tongue brings angry looks.^{e 24}It is better to live up in a corner of the rooftop \q than to share a home with a wife who quarrels. ²⁵Like cold water to someone worn out and thirsty \q is good news from far away. ²⁶When the righteous give way before the wicked, \q it is a trampled spring, a fouled well. ²⁷Eating honey to excess does no good, \q and seeking honor for yourself brings no honor.^{f 28}Someone without self-control \q is a city breached, left with no walls.