Proverbs 25:1-22 ▼

1 These too are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, copied.

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.

3 As the heaven is high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.

4 Remove impurities from silver, and a vessel will be produced for a silversmith.

5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

6 Don’t brag about yourself before the king, and don’t stand in the place of the great;

7 for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!” than to demote you in plain view of a noble.

8 Don’t take a matter to court hastily. Otherwise, what will you do afterward if your opponent humiliates you?

9 Make your case with your opponent without revealing another’s secret;

10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you, and you’ll never live it down.

11 A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples on a silver tray.

12 A wise correction to a receptive ear is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.

13 To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day; he refreshes the life of his masters.

14 The man who boasts about a gift that does not exist is like clouds and wind without rain.

15 A ruler can be persuaded through patience, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

16 If you find honey, eat only what you need; otherwise, you’ll get sick from it and vomit.

17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house; otherwise, he’ll get sick of you and hate you.

18 A man giving false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

19 Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.

20 Singing songs to a troubled heart is like taking off clothing on a cold day or like pouring vinegar on soda.

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food 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.