Proverbs 25

גַּם־אֵ֭לֶּה מִשְׁלֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶ֝עְתִּ֗יקוּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י ׀ חִזְקִיָּ֬ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָֽה׃

These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:

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

כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר וּכְבֹ֥ד מְ֝לָכִ֗ים חֲקֹ֣ר דָּבָֽר׃

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.

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

שָׁמַ֣יִם לָ֭רוּם וָאָ֣רֶץ לָעֹ֑מֶק וְלֵ֥ב מְ֝לָכִ֗ים אֵ֣ין חֵֽקֶר׃

As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.

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

הָג֣וֹ סִיגִ֣ים מִכָּ֑סֶף וַיֵּצֵ֖א לַצֹּרֵ֣ף כֶּֽלִי׃

Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.

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

הָג֣וֹ רָ֭שָׁע לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְיִכּ֖וֹן בַּצֶּ֣דֶק כִּסְאֽוֹ׃

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

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

אַל־תִּתְהַדַּ֥ר לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּבִמְק֥וֹם גְּ֝דֹלִ֗ים אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹֽד׃

Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;

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

כִּ֤י ט֥וֹב אֲמָר־לְךָ֗ עֲֽלֵ֫ה הֵ֥נָּה מֵֽ֭הַשְׁפִּ֣ילְךָ לִפְנֵ֣י נָדִ֑יב אֲשֶׁ֖ר רָא֣וּ עֵינֶֽיךָ׃

for it is better to be told, “Come up here!” than to be demoted in the presence of the prince. Even what you have seen with your own eyes,

For 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.

אַל־תֵּצֵ֥א לָרִ֗ב מַ֫הֵ֥ר פֶּ֣ן מַה־תַּ֭עֲשֶׂה בְּאַחֲרִיתָ֑הּ בְּהַכְלִ֖ים אֹתְךָ֣ רֵעֶֽךָ׃

do not bring hastily to court. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame?

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

רִֽ֭יבְךָ רִ֣יב אֶת־רֵעֶ֑ךָ וְס֖וֹד אַחֵ֣ר אַל־תְּגָֽל׃

Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence,

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

פֶּֽן־יְחַסֶּדְךָ֥ שֹׁמֵ֑עַ וְ֝דִבָּתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תָשֽׁוּב׃

lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your infamy never go away.

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

תַּפּוּחֵ֣י זָ֭הָב בְּמַשְׂכִּיּ֥וֹת כָּ֑סֶף דָּ֝בָ֗ר דָּבֻ֥ר עַל־אָפְנָֽיו׃

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

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

נֶ֣זֶם זָ֭הָב וַחֲלִי־כָ֑תֶם מוֹכִ֥יחַ חָ֝כָ֗ם עַל־אֹ֥זֶן שֹׁמָֽעַת׃

Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.

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

כְּצִנַּת־שֶׁ֨לֶג ׀ בְּי֬וֹם קָצִ֗יר צִ֣יר נֶ֭אֱמָן לְשֹׁלְחָ֑יו וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ אֲדֹנָ֣יו יָשִֽׁיב׃

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.

As 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.

נְשִׂיאִ֣ים וְ֭רוּחַ וְגֶ֣שֶׁם אָ֑יִן אִ֥ישׁ מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ל בְּמַתַּת־שָֽׁקֶר׃

Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.

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

בְּאֹ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם יְפֻתֶּ֣ה קָצִ֑ין וְלָשׁ֥וֹן רַ֝כָּ֗ה תִּשְׁבָּר־גָּֽרֶם׃

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

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

דְּבַ֣שׁ מָ֭צָאתָ אֱכֹ֣ל דַּיֶּ֑ךָּ פֶּן־תִּ֝שְׂבָּעֶ֗נּוּ וַהֲקֵֽאתֽוֹ׃

If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up.

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

הֹקַ֣ר רַ֭גְלְךָ מִבֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ פֶּן־יִ֝שְׂבָּעֲךָ֗ וּשְׂנֵאֶֽךָ׃

Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he grow weary and hate you.

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

מֵפִ֣יץ וְ֭חֶרֶב וְחֵ֣ץ שָׁנ֑וּן אִ֥ישׁ עֹנֶ֥ה בְ֝רֵעֵ֗הוּ עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃

Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.

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

שֵׁ֣ן רֹ֭עָה וְרֶ֣גֶל מוּעָ֑דֶת מִבְטָ֥ח בּ֝וֹגֵ֗ד בְּי֣וֹם צָרָֽה׃

Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.

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

מַ֥עֲדֶה בֶּ֨גֶד ׀ בְּי֣וֹם קָ֭רָה חֹ֣מֶץ עַל־נָ֑תֶר וְשָׁ֥ר בַּ֝שִּׁרִ֗ים עַ֣ל לֶב־רָֽע׃

Like one who removes a garment on a cold day or vinegar poured on a wound is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

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

אִם־רָעֵ֣ב שֹׂ֭נַאֲךָ הַאֲכִלֵ֣הוּ לָ֑חֶם וְאִם־צָ֝מֵ֗א הַשְׁקֵ֥הוּ מָֽיִם׃

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

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

כִּ֤י גֶֽחָלִ֗ים אַ֭תָּה חֹתֶ֣ה עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יְשַׁלֶּם־לָֽךְ׃

For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

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

ר֣וּחַ צָ֭פוֹן תְּח֣וֹלֵֽל גָּ֑שֶׁם וּפָנִ֥ים נִ֝זְעָמִ֗ים לְשׁ֣וֹן סָֽתֶר׃

As the north wind brings forth rain, so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.

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

ט֗וֹב שֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת (מדונים) [מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים] וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃

Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

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

מַ֣יִם קָ֭רִים עַל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲיֵפָ֑ה וּשְׁמוּעָ֥ה ט֝וֹבָ֗ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מֶרְחָֽק׃

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

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

מַעְיָ֣ן נִ֭רְפָּשׂ וּמָק֣וֹר מָשְׁחָ֑ת צַ֝דִּ֗יק מָ֣ט לִפְנֵֽי־רָשָֽׁע׃

Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.

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

אָ֘כֹ֤ל דְּבַ֣שׁ הַרְבּ֣וֹת לֹא־ט֑וֹב וְחֵ֖קֶר כְּבֹדָ֣ם כָּבֽוֹד׃

It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory.

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

עִ֣יר פְּ֭רוּצָה אֵ֣ין חוֹמָ֑ה אִ֝֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵ֖ין מַעְצָ֣ר לְרוּחֽוֹ׃

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.

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