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| [1]Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: -- |
[1]THESE are also profound proverbs of Solomon which the friends of Hezekiah king of Judah wrote |
| [2]The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter. |
[2]It is the glory of God to keep secret a matter; but the glory of the king is to search it out. |
| [3]The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings -- [are] unsearchable. |
[3]The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of the king is unsearchable |
| [4]Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth, |
[4]Purge dross from silver that it may come forth a pure vessel. |
| [5]Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne. |
[5]Let wicked men be driven from the presence of the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness |
| [6]Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not. |
[6]Do not glorify yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; |
| [7]For better [that] he hath said to thee, `Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen. |
[7]For it is better that it be said to you, Come up higher, than that you should be put lower. In the presence of the ruler report what your eyes have seen |
| [8]Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush? |
[8]Do not go forth hastily to bring a suit, lest when you plead your cause, at the end your neighbor shall reproach you. |
| [9]Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not, |
[9]Debate your cause with your neighbor himself; and do not disclose the secret to another, |
| [10]Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back. |
[10]Lest he who hears it reproach you and many people mock you |
| [11]Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times. |
[11]A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. |
| [12]A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear. |
[12]Like an earring of gold, and a precious sardius, so is the reproof of the wise men to a listening ear |
| [13]As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth. |
[13]Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest, which cools the air, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters |
| [14]Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift. |
[14]Like clouds and wind without rain, so is the man who boasts of false gifts |
| [15]By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone. |
[15]By long forbearing, a ruler is persuaded; and a soft tongue breaks the bones |
| [16]Honey thou hast found -- eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it. |
[16]When you find honey, eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you be filled with it and vomit it |
| [17]Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee. |
[17]Do not visit your neighbor's house too frequently, lest he become weary of you and so hate you |
| [18]A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony. |
[18]A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like an iron bar, a sword, and a sharp arrow |
| [19]A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity. |
[19]Like a sore tooth and a foot out of joint, such is the confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble |
| [20]Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart. |
[20]As he who takes away a garment from his neighbor in cold weather, as one who drops sand on the string of a musical instrument, as he who afflicts a broken heart, as a moth on a garment, and as a boring-worm on a tree: such is the effect of sorrow on a man's heart |
| [21]If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water. |
[21]If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink; |
| [22]For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee. |
[22]For when you shall do these things for him, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will reward you |
| [23]A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue -- indignant faces. |
[23]Like the north wind which brings forth rain, so are an evil countenance and a backbiting tongue |
| [24]Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company. |
[24]It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a quarrelsome wife and a house divided against itself |
| [25][As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country. |
[25]Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country |
| [26]A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked. |
[26]Like a stopped fountain or a polluted spring is a righteous man when he falls down before the wicked |
| [27]The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour -- honour. |
[27]It is not good to eat much honey, nor to search for high praises for oneself |
| [28]A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit! |
[28]Like a breached city that has no wall, so is a man who is impatient |