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Proverbs 25
Expanded Bible
Proverbs 25
Expanded Bible
More Wise Sayings of Solomon
25 These are more ·wise sayings [proverbs] of Solomon [1:1; 10:1], copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah [C ruled 727–698 bc; 2 Kin. 18–20; 2 Chr. 29–32; Is. 36–39].
2 ·God is honored for what he keeps secret [L It is the glory of God to hide a matter/things; Deut. 29:29].
·Kings are honored for what they can discover [L It is the glory of kings to examine them].
3 No one can ·measure [examine] the height of the skies or the depth of the earth.
So also no one can ·understand [examine] the ·mind [L heart] of a king.
4 ·Remove [Separate] the ·scum [dross] from the silver,
so ·the silver can be used by the silversmith [L a vessel will come out for refining].
5 ·Remove [Separate] wicked people from the king’s presence;
then his ·government [L throne] will be ·honest and last a long time [L established in righteousness].
6 Don’t ·brag [honor yourself] to the king
and ·act as if you are great [L don’t stand in the place of important people].
7 It is better for him to ·give you a higher position [L say to you, “Come up here”]
than to bring you down in front of the prince [Luke 14:7–11].
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 [L humiliates/shames you]?
9 ·If you have an argument with [L Make your accusations against] your neighbor,
·don’t tell other people what was said [keep it a secret from others].
10 Whoever hears it might shame you,
and ·you might not ever be respected again [L the slander against you will never stop].
11 The right word spoken at the right time
is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver ·bowl [L setting].
12 A wise ·warning [correction] to ·someone who will listen [L a listening ear]
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 [L at harvest time].
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 [tender] word ·can get through to the hard-headed [L breaks bone].
16 If you find honey, ·don’t eat too much [eat the right amount],
or it will make you full and you will throw up.
17 ·Don’t go to your neighbor’s house too often [L Rarely let your feet step into your neighbor’s house];
·too much of you will make him [L they will have their fill of you and] hate you.
18 When you ·lie [falsely testify] about your neighbors [Ex. 20:16],
it hurts them as much as a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting unfaithful people ·when you are in [L on a day of] trouble
is like eating with a broken tooth or walking with a crippled foot.
20 Singing songs to ·someone who is sad [L a troubled heart]
is like taking away his coat on a cold day
or pouring vinegar on soda [C sodium bicarbonate; mixing the two would cause an adverse reaction; the Greek Old Testament reads “scab” or “wound” instead of “soda”].
21 If ·your enemy [L one you hate] 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 [Rom. 12:19–21].
23 As the north wind brings rain,
·telling gossip [L a hidden tongue] brings angry looks.
24 It is better to live in a corner on the roof [21:9]
than inside the house with a ·quarreling [contentious] 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 [staggers before] evil
is like a ·muddy [foul] spring or a ·dirty [ruined] well.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor does it bring you honor to ·brag about yourself [seek honor].
28 Those who ·do not control themselves [are unrestrained in spirit]
are like a city whose walls are broken down.
Proverbs 25
New International Version
Proverbs 25
New International Version
More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These are more proverbs(A) of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:(B)
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.(C)
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4 Remove the dross from the silver,
and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
5 remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,(D)
and his throne will be established(E) through righteousness.(F)
6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
and do not claim a place among his great men;
7 it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”(G)
than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.
What you have seen with your eyes
8 do not bring[a] hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
if your neighbor puts you to shame?(H)
9 If you take your neighbor to court,
do not betray another’s confidence,
10 or the one who hears it may shame you
and the charge against you will stand.
11 Like apples[b] of gold in settings of silver(I)
is a ruling rightly given.
12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.(J)
13 Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time
is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;
he refreshes the spirit of his master.(K)
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
is one who boasts of gifts never given.
16 If you find honey, eat just enough—
too much of it, and you will vomit.(N)
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you.
18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.(O)
19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
or like vinegar poured on a wound,
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals(P) on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.(Q)
23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.
24 Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(R)
25 Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.(S)
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
are the righteous who give way to the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey,(T)
nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.(U)
28 Like a city whose walls are broken through
is a person who lacks self-control.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:8 Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / 8 Do not go
- Proverbs 25:11 Or possibly apricots
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