More Proverbs of Solomon
25 uThese also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out.
3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the vdross from the silver,
and the smith has material for a vessel;
5 take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
and whis throne will be established in righteousness.
6 xDo not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
yWhat your eyes have seen
8 do not hastily bring into court,1
for2 what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9 zArgue your case with your neighbor himself,
and do not reveal another’s secret,
10 lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.
11 aA word fitly spoken
is blike apples of gold in a setting of silver.
12 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold
is a wise creprover to a listening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
is a faithful messenger to those who send him;
he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.
15 With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
and da soft tongue will break a bone.
16 If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,
lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.
17 eLet your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house,
lest he have his fill of you and hate you.
18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble
is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
20 fWhoever gsings songs to a heavy heart
is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,
and like vinegar on soda.
21 hIf your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
22 for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
24 iIt is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is jgood news from a far country.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey,
knor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory.3
28 A man without self-control
is like a city broken into and left without walls.
26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
so honor is lnot fitting for a fool.
2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
a curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 mA whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and na rod for the back of fools.
4 oAnswer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 pLike a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is one who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.1
11 qLike a dog that returns to his vomit
is a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
rThere is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 sThe sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 tThe sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 uWhoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I am only joking!”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer, vquarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 wThe words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 Like the glaze2 covering an earthen vessel
are xfervent lips with an evil heart.
24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
and harbors deceit in his heart;
25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
for there are yseven abominations in his heart;
26 though his zhatred be covered with deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will afall into it,
and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.
27 bDo not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 cLet another praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
dbut a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is eopen rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
7 One who is full loathes honey,
but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
8 Like a bird that strays from its nest
is a man who strays from his home.
9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.1
10 fDo not forsake your friend and your father’s friend,
and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is near
than a brother who is far away.
11 Be wise, my son, gand make my heart glad,
that I may hanswer him who reproaches me.
12 iThe prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
13 Take a man’s garment when he has jput up security for a stranger,
and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.2
14 kWhoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning,
will be counted as cursing.
15 lA continual dripping on a rainy day
and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind
or to grasp3 oil in one’s right hand.
17 mIron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.4
18 nWhoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who guards his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
so the heart of man reflects the man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon are onever satisfied,
and pnever satisfied are the eyes of man.
21 qThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and a man is tested by his praise.
22 Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
along with crushed grain,
yet his folly will not depart from him.
23 Know well the condition of your flocks,
and give attention to your herds,
24 for rriches do not last forever;
and does a crown endure to all generations?
25 When the grass is gone and the new growth appears
and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26 the lambs will provide your clothing,
and the goats the price of a field.
27 There will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
for the food of your household
and maintenance for your girls.
28 The wicked flee swhen no one pursues,
but the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 When a land transgresses, it has many rulers,
but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
its stability will long continue.
3 A poor man who toppresses the poor
is a beating rain that leaves no food.
4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law strive against them.
5 Evil men udo not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.
6 vBetter is a poor man who walks in his integrity
than a rich man who is wcrooked in his ways.
7 The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
but a xcompanion of ygluttons shames his father.
8 Whoever multiplies his wealth by zinterest and profit1
agathers it for him who is generous to the poor.
9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
even his bprayer is an abomination.
10 cWhoever misleads the upright into an evil way
will dfall into his own pit,
but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.
11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.
12 eWhen the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
fbut when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but ghe who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
14 hBlessed is the one who fears the Lord2 always,
but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who ilacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 If one is burdened jwith the blood of another,
he will be a fugitive until death;3
let no one help him.
18 Whoever kwalks in integrity will be delivered,
but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 lWhoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
but whoever mhastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 nTo show partiality is not good,
but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A stingy man4 hastens after wealth
and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
23 oWhoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than he who flatters with his tongue.
24 Whoever probs his qfather or his mother
and says, “That is no transgression,”
is a companion to a man who destroys.
25 A greedy man stirs up rstrife,
but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.
26 Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
27 sWhoever gives to the poor will not want,
but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
28 When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,
but when they perish, the righteous increase.
29 He who is often treproved, yet stiffens his neck,
will usuddenly be broken beyond healing.
2 vWhen the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
3 wHe who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
but a xcompanion of prostitutes ysquanders his wealth.
4 By justice a king builds up the land,
but he who exacts gifts1 tears it down.
5 A man who flatters his neighbor
spreads a net for his feet.
6 zAn evil man is ensnared in his transgression,
but a righteous man sings and rejoices.
7 A righteous man aknows the rights of the poor;
a wicked man bdoes not understand such knowledge.
8 Scoffers set a city aflame,
but the wise turn away wrath.
9 cIf a wise man has an argument with a fool,
the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.
10 Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless
and seek the life of the upright.2
11 dA fool gives full vent to his spirit,
but a wise man quietly holds it back.
12 If a ruler listens to falsehood,
all his officials will be wicked.
13 eThe poor man and the oppressor meet together;
the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 If a king faithfully judges the poor,
fhis throne will be established forever.
15 gThe rod and hreproof give wisdom,
but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases,
but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
17 iDiscipline your son, and he will give you rest;
he will give delight to your heart.
18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people jcast off restraint,3
but kblessed is he who keeps the law.
19 By mere words a servant is not disciplined,
for lthough he understands, he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man who is hasty min his words?
nThere is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 Whoever pampers his servant from childhood
will in the end find him his heir.4
22 oA man of wrath stirs up pstrife,
and one given to anger causes much transgression.
23 qOne’s pride will bring him low,
but he who is rlowly in spirit will obtain shonor.
24 The partner of a thief hates his own life;
he thears the curse, but discloses nothing.
25 The fear of man lays a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
26 Many seek the face of a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.
