| 1 | These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezeki'ah 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 mind of kings is unsearchable. |
| 4 | Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel; |
| 5 | take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness. |
| 6 | Do 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 the prince. What your eyes have seen |
| 8 | do not hastily bring into court; for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? |
| 9 | Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not disclose another's secret; |
| 10 | lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end. |
| 11 | A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. |
| 12 | Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover 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 spirit 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 a soft tongue will break a bone. |
| 16 | If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you be sated with it and vomit it. |
| 17 | Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he become weary 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 | Trust in a faithless man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips. |
| 20 | He who sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on a wound. |
| 21 | If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; |
| 22 | for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD will reward you. |
| 23 | The north wind brings forth rain; and a backbiting tongue, angry looks. |
| 24 | It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a contentious woman. |
| 25 | Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good 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, so be sparing of complimentary words. |
| 28 | A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. |
| 1 | Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not 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 | A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools. |
| 4 | Answer 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 | He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. |
| 7 | Like 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 he 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 everybody is he who hires a passing fool or drunkard. |
| 11 | Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool that repeats his folly. |
| 12 | Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. |
| 13 | The 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 | The 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 discreetly. |
| 17 | He who 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, quarreling ceases. |
| 21 | As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. |
| 22 | The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. |
| 23 | Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart. |
| 24 | He who hates, dissembles with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; |
| 25 | when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; |
| 26 | though his hatred be covered with guile, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. |
| 27 | He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back upon him who starts it rolling. |
| 28 | A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. |
| 1 | Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. |
| 2 | Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. |
| 3 | A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool's provocation is heavier than both. |
| 4 | Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming; but who can stand before jealousy? |
| 5 | Better is open rebuke than hidden love. |
| 6 | Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. |
| 7 | He who is sated 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, but the soul is torn by trouble. |
| 10 | Your friend, and your father's friend, do not forsake; 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, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me. |
| 12 | A prudent man sees danger and hides himself; but the simple go on, and suffer for it. |
| 13 | Take a man's garment when he has given surety for a stranger, and hold him in pledge when he gives surety for foreigners. |
| 14 | He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, will be counted as cursing. |
| 15 | A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike; |
| 16 | to restrain her is to restrain the wind or to grasp oil in his right hand. |
| 17 | Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. |
| 18 | He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who guards his master will be honored. |
| 19 | As in water face answers to face, so the mind of man reflects the man. |
| 20 | Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man. |
| 21 | The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is judged 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 riches do not last for ever; and does a crown endure to all generations? |
| 25 | When the grass is gone, and the new growth appears, and the herbage 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 maidens. |
