1These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
1These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied down:
2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter
and the glory of kings to search it out.
2The glory of God is to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.
3The heavens for height and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings cannot be searched.
4Remove the dross from the silver,
and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.
4Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel will come forth for the refiner.
5Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
5Remove the wicked before the face of the king, 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;
6You should not exalt yourself before the face of the king, and in the place of the great ones you should not stand.
7for it is better to be told, “Come up here!”
than to be demoted in the presence of the prince.
Even whata you have seen with your own eyes,
7For better that he says to you “Come up here!” Than to set you low before a noble. That which your eyes have seen,
8do not bring hastily to court.
Otherwise, what will you do in the end
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
8you should not go out to dispute hastily, for what will you do in the end when your neighbor has put you to shame?
9Argue your case with your neighbor
without betraying another’s confidence,
9Dispute your cause with your neighbor, and do not uncover the secret to another,
10lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your infamy never go away.
10lest the one hearing it should bring shame to you, and your defamation shall not turn back.
11A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
11Apples of gold in figures of silver, is a word spoken at its right time.
12Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
12A ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, is a wise one giving 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.
13Like the cold of snow in time of harvest, is a faithful messenger to those sending him, and he restores the soul of his lords.
14Like clouds and wind without rain
is the man who boasts of gifts never given.
14Clouds and wind and no rain, is a man boasting in gifts of deception.
15Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
15With slowness of anger a ruler may 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.
16You have found honey, eat your sufficiency, lest you be filled up with it and vomit it out.
17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
lest he grow weary and hate you.
17Make rare your foot from the house of your neighbor, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.
18Like a club or sword or sharp arrow
is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
18A club or a sharpened sword, or an arrow, is a man answering against his neighbor a testimony of falsehood.
19Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint
is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
19A tooth broken or a foot tottering is trust in one acting treacherously in a day of distress.
20Like one who removes a garment on a cold day
or vinegar poured on a wounda
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
20One taking away a garment in a day of cold, or vinegar on soda, is one singing with songs to a heart of misery.
21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
21If your enemy is hungry, give him bread, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
22For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head,a
and the LORD will reward you.
22For in so doing you will be heaping burning coals upon his head, and YHWH will give recompense to you.
23As the north wind brings forth rain,
so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.
23A north wind twists out rain, and a secret tongue brings faces of indignanation.
24Better to live on a corner of the roof
than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
24Better to sit on the corner of roof, than with a wife of quarrels and a house of company.
25Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.
25Cold water over a weary soul, is good news from a land far away.
26Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
26A spring made foul or a well spoiled is a righteous one swaying before the face of a wicked one.
27It is not good to eat too much honey
or to search out one’s own glory.
27To eat much honey is not good, nor the searching for his own honor.
28Like a city whose walls are broken down
is a man who does not control his temper.
28A city breached, without a wall, is a man who is without restraint to his spirit.