Proverbs 25-28

New International Version

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.

¹⁵ Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,^(L)
    and a gentle tongue can break a bone.^(M)

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.

¹³ A sluggard says,^(AK) “There’s a lion in the road,
    a fierce lion roaming the streets!”^(AL)
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed.^(AM)
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.^(AN)
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
    than seven people who answer discreetly.

¹⁷ Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
    is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

¹⁸ Like a maniac shooting
    flaming arrows of death
¹⁹ is one who deceives their neighbor
    and says, “I was only joking!”

²⁰ Without wood a fire goes out;
    without a gossip a quarrel dies down.^(AO)
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.^(AP)
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.^(AQ)

²³ Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent^[c] lips with an evil heart.
²⁴ Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,^(AR)
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.^(AS)
25 Though their speech is charming,^(AT) do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.^(AU)
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
²⁷ Whoever digs a pit^(AV) will fall into it;^(AW)
    if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.^(AX)
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth^(AY) works ruin.

27 Do not boast^(AZ) about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.^(BA)

² Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
    an outsider, and not your own lips.^(BB)

³ Stone is heavy and sand^(BC) a burden,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

⁴ Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
    but who can stand before jealousy?^(BD)

⁵ Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.

⁶ Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
    but an enemy multiplies kisses.^(BE)

⁷ One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
    but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

⁸ Like a bird that flees its nest^(BF)
    is anyone who flees from home.

⁹ Perfume^(BG) and incense bring joy to the heart,
    and the pleasantness of a friend
    springs from their heartfelt advice.

¹⁰ Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
    and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster^(BH) strikes you—
    better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

¹¹ Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;^(BI)
    then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.^(BJ)

¹² The prudent see danger and take refuge,
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.^(BK)

¹³ Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
    hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.^(BL)

¹⁴ If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
    it will be taken as a curse.

¹⁵ A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping^(BM)
    of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
¹⁶ restraining her is like restraining the wind
    or grasping oil with the hand.

¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens another.

¹⁸ The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,^(BN)
    and whoever protects their master will be honored.^(BO)

¹⁹ As water reflects the face,
    so one’s life reflects the heart.^[d]

²⁰ Death and Destruction^[e] are never satisfied,^(BP)
    and neither are human eyes.^(BQ)

²¹ The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,^(BR)
    but people are tested by their praise.

²² Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
    grinding them like grain with a pestle,
    you will not remove their folly from them.

²³ Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,^(BS)
    give careful attention to your herds;
²⁴ for riches do not endure forever,^(BT)
    and a crown is not secure for all generations.
²⁵ When the hay is removed and new growth appears
    and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
²⁶ the lambs will provide you with clothing,
    and the goats with the price of a field.
²⁷ You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
    and to nourish your female servants.

28 The wicked flee^(BU) though no one pursues,^(BV)
    but the righteous are as bold as a lion.^(BW)

² When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
    but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

³ A ruler^[f] who oppresses the poor
    is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

⁴ Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
    but those who heed it resist them.

⁵ Evildoers do not understand what is right,
    but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than the rich whose ways are perverse.^(BX)

⁷ A discerning son heeds instruction,
    but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.^(BY)

⁸ Whoever increases wealth by taking interest^(BZ) or profit from the poor
    amasses it for another,^(CA) who will be kind to the poor.^(CB)

⁹ If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
    even their prayers are detestable.^(CC)

¹⁰ Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
    will fall into their own trap,^(CD)
    but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes;
    one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;^(CE)
    but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.^(CF)

¹³ Whoever conceals their sins^(CG) does not prosper,
    but the one who confesses^(CH) and renounces them finds mercy.^(CI)

¹⁴ Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
    but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
    but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

¹⁷ Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
    will seek refuge^(CJ) in the grave;
    let no one hold them back.

¹⁸ The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,^(CK)
    but the one whose ways are perverse will fall^(CL) into the pit.^[g]

¹⁹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.^(CM)

²⁰ A faithful person will be richly blessed,
    but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.^(CN)

²¹ To show partiality^(CO) is not good^(CP)—
    yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.^(CQ)

²² The stingy are eager to get rich
    and are unaware that poverty awaits them.^(CR)

²³ Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
    rather than one who has a flattering tongue.^(CS)

²⁴ Whoever robs their father or mother^(CT)
    and says, “It’s not wrong,”
    is partner to one who destroys.^(CU)

²⁵ The greedy stir up conflict,^(CV)
    but those who trust in the Lord^(CW) will prosper.

²⁶ Those who trust in themselves are fools,^(CX)
    but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.^(CY)

²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,^(CZ)
    but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.^(DA)

²⁸ When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;^(DB)
    but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.