Proverbs 25 - 31
25 More proverbs of Solomon transcribed by the men of Hezekiah king of
Judah:
The glory of God is to keep things hidden
but the glory of kings is to fathom them.
The heavens for height, the earth for depth:
unfathomable is the heart of a king.
Rid silver of its impurities,
then it will go to the silversmith;
rid the king's presence of wicked men,
and his throne will rest firmly on righteousness.
Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
or take your place among the great;
for it is better that he should say to you, 'Come up here',
than move you down to make room for a nobleman.
Be in no hurry to tell everyone what you have seen,
or it will end up in bitter reproaches from your friend.
Argue your own case with your neighbour,
but do not reveal another man's secrets,
or he will reproach you when he hears of it
and your indiscretion will then be beyond recall.
Like apples of gold set in silver filigree
is a word spoken in season.
Like a golden earring or a necklace of Nubian gold
is a wise man whose reproof finds attentive ears.
Like the coolness of snow in harvest
is a trusty messenger to those who send him.
Like clouds and wind that bring no rain
is the man who boasts of gifts he never gives.
A prince may be persuaded by patience,
and a soft tongue may break down solid bone.
If you find honey, eat only what you need,
too much of it will make you sick;
be sparing in visits to your neighbour's house,
if he sees too much of you, he will dislike you.
Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
is a false witness who denounces his friend.
Like a tooth decayed or a foot limping
is a traitor relied on in the day of trouble.
Like one who dresses a wound with vinegar,
so is the sweetest of singers to the heavy-hearted.
If your enemy is hungry, give them bread to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
so you will heap glowing coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.
As the north wind holds back the rain,
so an angry glance holds back slander.
Better to live in a corner of the house-top
than have a nagging wife and a brawling household.
Like cold water to the throat when it is dry
is good news from a distant land.
Like a muddied spring or a tainted well
is a righteous man who gives way to a wicked one.
A surfeit of honey is bad for a man,
and the quest for honour is burdensome.
Like a city that has burst out of its confining walls
is a man who cannot control his temper.
26 Like snow in summer or rain at harvest,
honour is unseasonable in a stupid man.
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
groundless abuse gets nowhere.
The whip for a horse, the bridle for an ass,
the rod for the back of a fool!
Do not answer a stupid man in the language of his folly,
or you will grow like him;
answer a stupid man as his folly deserves,
or he will think himself a wise man.
He who sends a fool on an errand
cuts his own leg off and displays the stump.
A proverb in the mouth of stupid men
dangles helpless as a lame man's legs.
Like one who gets the stone caught in his sling
is he who bestows honour on a fool.
Like a thorn that pierces a drunkard's hand
is a proverb in a stupid man's mouth.
Like an archer who shoots at any passer-by
is one who hires a stupid man or a drunkard.
Like a dog returning to its vomit
is a stupid man who repeats his folly.
Do you see that man who thinks himself so wise?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
The sluggard protests, 'There is a lion in the highway,
a lion at large in the streets.'
A door turns on its hinges,
a sluggard on his bed.
A sluggard plunges his hand in the dish
but is too lazy to lift it to his mouth.
A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who answer sensibly.
Like a man who seizes a passing cur by the ears
is he who meddles in another's quarrel.
A man who deceives another
and then says, 'It was only a joke',
is like a madman shooting at random
his deadly darts and arrows.
For lack of fuel a fire dies down
and for lack of a tale-bearer a quarrel subsides.
Like bellows for the coal and fuel for the fire
is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
A gossip's whispers are savoury morsels
gulped down into the inner man.
Glib speech that covers a spiteful heart
is like glaze spread on earthenware.
With his lips an enemy may speak you fair
but inwardly he harbours deceit;
when his words are gracious, do not trust him,
for seven abominations fill his heart;
he may cloak his enmity in dissimulation,
but his wickedness is shown up before the assembly.
If he digs a pit, he will fall into it;
if he rolls a stone, it will roll back upon him.
A lying tongue makes innocence seem guilty,
and smooth words conceal their sting.
27 Do not flatter yourself about tomorrow,
for you never know what a day will bring forth.
Let flattery come from a stranger, not from yourself,
from the lips of an outsider and not from your own.
Stone is a burden and sand a dead weight,
but to be vexed by a fool is more burdensome than either.
Wrath is cruel and anger is a deluge;
but who can stand up to jealousy?
Open reproof is better
than love concealed.
The blows of a friend are well meant,
but the kisses of an enemy are perfidious.
A man full-fed refuses honey,
but even bitter food tastes sweet to a hungry man.
Like a bird that strays far from its nest
is a man far from his home.
Oil and perfume bring joy to the heart,
but cares torment a man's very soul.
Do not neglect your own friend or your father's;
a neighbour at hand is better than a brother far away.
Be wise, my son, then you will bring joy to my heart,
and I shall be able to forestall my critics.
A shrewd man sees trouble coming and lies low;
the simple walk into it and pay the penalty.
Take a man's garment when he pledges his word for a stranger
and hold that as a pledge for the unknown person.
If one man greets another too heartily,
he may give great offence.
Endless dripping on a rainy day——
that is what a nagging wife is like.
As well to control the wind as to control her!
As well try to pick up oil in one's fingers!
As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens the wits of another.
He who guards the fig-tree will eat its fruit,
and he who watches his master's interests will come to honour.
As face answers face reflected in water,
so one man's heart answers another's.
Sheol and Abaddon are insatiable;
a man's eyes too are never satisfied.
The melting-pot is for silver and the crucible for gold,
but praise is the test of character.
Pound a fool with pestle and mortar,
his folly will never be knocked out of him.
Be careful to know your own sheep
and take good care of your flocks;
for possessions do not last for ever,
nor will a crown endure for endless generations.
The grass disappears, new shoots are seen
and the green growth on the hills is gathered in;
the lambs clothe you,
the he-goats are worth the price of a field,
while the goats' milk is enough for your food
and nourishment for your maidens.
28 The wicked man runs away with no one in pursuit,
but the righteous is like a young lion in repose.
It is the fault of violent man that quarrels start,
but they are settled by a man of discernment.
A tyrant oppressing the poor
is like driving rain which ruins the crop.
The lawless praise wicked men;
the law-abiding contend with them.
Bad men do not know what justice is,
but those who seek the LORD know everything good.
Better be poor and above reproach
than rich and crooked.
A discerning son observes the law,
but one who keeps riotous company wounds his father.
He who grows rich by lending at a discount or at interest
is saving for another who will be generous to the poor.
If a man turns a deaf ear to the law,
even his prayers are an abomination.
He who tempts the upright into evil courses
will himself fall into the pit he has dig.
The honest shall inherit a fortune,
but the wicked shall inherit nothing.
The rich man may think himself wise,
but a poor man of discernment sees through him.
When the just are in power, there are great celebrations,
but when the wicked come to the top, others are downtrodden.
Conceal your faults, and you will not prosper;
confess and give them up, and you will find mercy.
Happy the man who is scrupulous in conduct,
but he who hardens his heart falls into misfortune.
Like a starving lion or a thirsty bear
is a wicked man ruling a helpless people.
The man who is stupid and grasping will perish,
but he who hates ill-gotten gain will live long.
A man charged with bloodshed
will jump into a well to escape arrest.
Whoever leads an honest life will be safe,
but a rogue will fail, one way or another.
One who cultivates his land has plenty to eat;
idle pursuit leads to poverty.
A man of steady character will enjoy many blessings,
but one in a hurry to grow rich will not go unpunished.
To show favour is not good;
but men will do wrong for a mere crust of bread.
The miser is in a hurry to grow rich,
never dreaming that want will overtake him.
Take a man to task and in the end win more thanks
than the man with the flattering tongue.
To rob your father or mother and say you do no wrong
is no better than wanton destruction.
A self-important man provokes quarrels,
but he who trusts in the LORD grows fat and prosperous.
It is plain stupidity to trust one's own wits,
but he who walks the path of wisdom will come safely through.
He who gives to the poor will never want,
but he who turns a blind eye gets nothing but curses.
When the wicked come to the top, others are pulled down;
but, when they perish, the righteous come into power.
29 A man who is still stubborn after much reproof
will suddenly be broken past mending.
When the righteous are in power the people rejoice,
but they groan when the wicked hold office.
A lover of wisdom brings joy to his father,
but one who keeps company with harlots squanders his wealth.
By just government a king gives his country stability,
but by forced contributions he reduces it to ruin.
A man who flatters his neighbour
is spreading a net for his feet.
An evil man is ensnared by his sin,
but a righteous man lives and flourishes.
The righteous man is concerned for the cause of the helpless,
but the wicked understand no such concern.
Arrogance can inflame a city,
but wisdom averts the people's anger.
If a wise man goes to law with a fool,
he will meet abuse or derision, but get no remedy.
Men who have tasted blood hate an honest man,
but the upright set much store by his life.
A stupid man gives free reign to his anger;
a wise man waits and lets it grow cool.
If a prince listens to falsehood,
all his servants will be wicked.
Poor man and oppressor have this in common:
what happiness each has comes from the LORD.
A king who steadily deals out justice to the weak
will be secure for ever on his throne.
Rod and reprimand impart wisdom,
but a boy who runs wild brings shame on his mother.
When the wicked are in power, sin is in power,
but the righteous will gloat over their downfall.
Correct your son, and he will be a comfort to you
and bring you delights of every kind.
Where there is no one in authority, the people break loose,
but a guardian of the law keeps them on the straight path.
Mere words will not keep a slave in order;
he may understand, but he will not respond.
When you see someone over-eager to speak,
there will be more hope for a fool than for him.
Pamper a slave from boyhood,
and in the end he will prove ungrateful.
A man prone to anger provokes a quarrel
and a hot-head is always doing wrong.
Pride will bring a man low;
a man lowly in spirit wins honour.
He who goes shares with a thief is his own enemy:
he hears himself put on oath and dare not give evidence.
A man's fears will prove a snare for him,
but he who trusts in the LORD has a high tower of refuge.
Many seek audience of a prince,
but in every case the LORD decides.
The righteous cannot abide an unjust man,
nor the wicked a man whose conduct is upright.
30 Sayings of Agur son of Jakeh from Massa:
This is the great man's very word: I am weary, O God,
I am weary and worn out;
I am a dumb brute, scarcely a man,
without a man's powers of understanding;
I have not learnt wisdom
nor have I received knowledge from the Holy One.
Who has ever gone up to heaven and come down again?
Who has cupped the wind in the hollow of his hands?
Who has bound up the waters in the fold of his garment?
Who has fixed the boundaries of the earth?
What is his name or his son's name, if you know it?
God's every promise has stood the test:
he is a shield to all who seek refuge with him.
Add nothing to his words,
or he will expose you for a liar.
Two things I ask of thee;
do not withhold them from me before I die.
Put fraud and lying far from me;
give me neither poverty nor wealth,
provide me only with the food I need.
If I have too much, I shall deny thee
and say, 'Who is the LORD?'
If I am reduced to poverty, I shall steal
and blacken the name of my God.
Never disparage a slave to his master,
or he will speak ill of you, and you will pay for it.
There is a sort of people who defame their fathers
and do not speak well of their own mothers;
a sort who are pure in their own eyes
and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
a sort——how haughty are their looks,
how disdainful their glances!
A sort whose teeth are swords,
their jaws are set with knives,
they eat the wretched out of the country
and the needy out of house and home.
The leech has two daughters;
'Give', says one, and 'Give', says the other.
Three things there are which will never be satisfied,
four which never say, 'Enough!'
The grave and a barren womb,
a land thirsty for water
and fire that never says, 'Enough!'
The eye that mocks a father or scorns a mother's old age
will be plucked out by magpies
or eaten by the vulture's young.
Three things there are which are too wonderful for me,
four which I do not understand:
the way of a vulture in the sky,
the way of a serpent on the rock,
the way of a ship our at sea,
and the way of a man with a girl.
The way of the unfaithful wife is this:
she eats, then she wipes her mouth
and says, 'I have done no harm.'
At three things the earth shakes,
four things it cannot bear:
a slave turned king,
a churl gorging himself,
a woman unloved when she is married,
and a slave-girl displacing her mistress.
Four things there are which are smallest on earth
yet wise beyond the wisest:
ants, a people with no strength,
yet they prepare their store of food in the summer;
rock-badgers, a feeble folk,
yet they make their home among the rocks;
locusts, which have no king,
yet they all sally forth in detachments;
the lizard, which can be grasped in the hand,
yet is found in the palaces of kings.
Three things there are which are stately in their stride,
four which are stately as they move:
the lion, a hero among beasts,
which will not turn tail for anyone;
the strutting cock and the he-goat;
and a king going forth to lead his army.
If you are churlish and arrogant
and fond of filthy talk, hold your tongue;
for wringing out he milk produces curd
and wringing the nose produces blood,
so provocation leads to strife.
31 Sayings of Lemuel king of Massa, which his mother taught him:
What, O my son, what shall I say to you,
you, the child of my womb and answer to my prayers?
Do not give the vigour of your manhood to women
nor consort with those who make eyes at kings.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, not for kings to drink wine
nor for princes to crave strong drink;
if they drink, they will forget rights and customs
and twist the law against their wretched victims.
Give string drink to the desperate
and wine to the embittered;
such men will drink and forget their poverty
and remember their trouble no longer.
Open your mouth and speak up for the dumb,
against the suit of any that oppose them;
open your mouth and pronounce just sentence
and give judgement for the wretched and the poor.
Who can find a capable wife?
Her worth is far beyond coral.
Her husband's whole trust is in her,
and children are not lacking.
She repays him with good, not evil,
all her life long.
She chooses wool and flax
and toils at her work.
Like a ship laden with merchandise,
she brings home food from far off.
She rises while it is still night
and sets meat before her household.
After careful thought she buys a field
and plants a vineyard out of her earnings.
She sets about her duties with vigour
and braces herself for the work.
She sees that her business goes well,
and never puts out her lamp at night.
She holds the distaff in her hand,
and her fingers grasp the spindle.
She is open-handed to the wretched
and generous to the poor.
She has no fear for her household when it snows,
for they are wrapped in two cloaks.
She makes her own coverings,
and clothing of fine linen and purple.
Her husband is well known in the city gate
when he takes his seat with the elders of the land.
She weaves linen and sells it,
and supplies merchants with their sashes.
She is clothed in dignity and power
and can afford to laugh at tomorrow.
When she opens her mouth it is to speak wisely,
and loyalty is the theme of her teaching.
She keeps her eye on the doings of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her sons with one accord call her happy;
her husband too, and he sings her praises:
'Many a woman shows how capable she is;
but you excel them all.'
Charm is a delusion and beauty fleeting;
it is the God-fearing woman who is honoured.
Extol her for the fruit of all her toil,
and let her labours bring her honour in the city gate.
The New English Bible (with Apocrypha)
Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, 1970
Posted Aug 4, 2019, 3:41 AM UTC
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