Proverbs 25

More Proverbs of Solomon

¹These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:

• PROV 25:1[NOTE]THE MEN OF HEZEKIAH. King Hezekiah ruled Judah about 715 to 686 BC, more than 200 years after Solomon. His scribes copied these sayings from older collections. A clay seal mark with Hezekiah's name was found in Jerusalem in 2015. See Hezekiah's Seal in 2 Kings.

²It is the glory of God to conceal a matter

and the glory of kings to search it out.

³As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,

so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.

⁴Remove the dross from the silver,

and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.

⁵Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,

and his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,

and do not stand in the place of great men;

⁷for 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,

⁸do not bring hastily to court.

Otherwise, what will you do in the end

when your neighbor puts you to shame?

⁹Argue your case with your neighbor

without betraying another’s confidence,

¹⁰lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,

and your infamy never go away.

¹¹A word fitly spoken

is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

¹²Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold

is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.

¹³Like 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.

¹⁴Like clouds and wind without rain

is the man who boasts of gifts never given.

• PROV 25:14[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → JUDE 1:12

¹⁵Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,

and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

¹⁶If you find honey, eat just what you need,

lest you have too much and vomit it up.

¹⁷Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,

lest he grow weary and hate you.

¹⁸Like a club or sword or sharp arrow

is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.

¹⁹Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint

is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.

²⁰Like one who removes a garment on a cold day

or vinegar poured on a wound

is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,

and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

• PROV 25:21[QUOTED]Quoted in the New Testament → ROM 12:20
• PROV 25:21[NOTE]QUOTED BY PAUL. Romans 12:20 quotes these lines and adds, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Jesus said, Love your enemies, Matthew 5:44.

²²For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head,

and Yahweh will reward you.

• PROV 25:22[NOTE]BURNING COALS. Your kindness makes him feel the heat of shame, and it may turn him around. Some think of an old Egyptian rite where a sorry man carried coals on his head.

²³As the north wind brings forth rain,

so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.

²⁴Better to live on a corner of the roof

than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

²⁵Like cold water to a weary soul

is good news from a distant land.

²⁶Like a muddied spring or a polluted well

is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.

²⁷It is not good to eat too much honey

or to search out one’s own glory.

²⁸Like a city whose walls are broken down

is a man who does not control his temper.