Proverbs

These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

1Here are more wise sayings of Solomon. The officials of Hezekiah, king of Judah, copied them out.

2It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

2God is honored when he keeps a matter hidden. Kings are honored when they dig into a matter and find out the truth.

3The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

3The sky is high and the earth is deep. In the same way, no one can fully know what is in a king's mind.

4Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

4Take the waste metal out of the silver. Then the silver worker has good metal to make a fine cup or bowl.

5Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

5Take the wicked people away from the king. Then his rule will stand firm, because it is built on doing right.

6Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:

6Do not push yourself forward when you are with the king. Do not stand in the place meant for important people.

7For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

7It is better to be told, "Come up here," than to be moved down to a lower seat in front of a noble. Even when you have seen something with your own eyes,

NoteIn the King James wording, "whom thine eyes have seen" looks like it ends verse 7. In the Hebrew, that phrase begins the thought that verse 8 finishes: what you have seen yourself, do not rush into court with.

8Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

8do not rush off to court about it. What will you do in the end if your neighbor shows you were wrong and shames you?

9Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

9If you and your neighbor disagree, settle it with him yourself. Do not give away a secret someone told you.

10Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

10If you do, whoever hears it may shame you, and your bad name will never go away.

11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

11The right words spoken at the right time are like golden apples set in silver.

12As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

12A wise person's correction, heard by someone willing to listen, is as fine as a gold earring or a gold ornament.

13As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

13A messenger you can trust refreshes the ones who sent him, like the cool of snow on a hot harvest day.

14Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

14Someone who brags about a gift he never actually gives is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

15By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

15Patience can win over a ruler, and a gentle tongue can break through the hardest resistance.

16Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

16Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need. Eat too much and you will throw it up.

17Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

17Do not be at your neighbor's house too often. He will get tired of you and start to dislike you.

18A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

18A person who tells lies about his neighbor in court does damage like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

19Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

19Depending on an untrustworthy person when trouble comes is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a hurt foot.

20As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

20Singing cheerful songs to someone with a heavy heart is like taking away his coat on a cold day, or pouring vinegar on soda.

Note"Nitre" is an old word for a mineral like washing soda. Pour vinegar on it and it fizzes and is ruined. Some translations read the word as "a wound" instead.

21If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

22For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

22By doing this you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

23The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

23The north wind and rain go together, and so do an angry face and a tongue that talks behind people's backs.

NoteThe Hebrew here can mean the north wind brings rain or drives it away. Either way, the point is that the two things in the saying go together.

24It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

24It is better to live in a corner of the roof than to share a whole house with a wife who is always fighting.

25As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

25Good news from a faraway land is like cold water to someone who is worn out and thirsty.

26A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

26A good person who gives in to the wicked is like a spring that has gone muddy or a well that has gone bad.

27It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

27It is not good to eat too much honey. It is not good either to go looking for praise for yourself.

28He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

28A person who cannot control his own temper is like a city whose walls have been knocked down.