Proverbs 25:10-20

10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you, and you'll never live it down.[a] [b]
11 A word spoken at the right time is like golden apples on a silver tray.[c] [d]
12 A wise correction to a receptive ear is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.
13 To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day; he refreshes the life of his masters.[e]
14 The man who boasts about a gift that does not exist is like clouds and wind without rain.
15 A ruler can be persuaded through patience, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.[f]
16 If you find honey, eat only what you need; otherwise, you'll get sick from it and vomit.[g]
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house; otherwise, he'll get sick of you and hate you.
18 A man giving false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting an unreliable person in a time of trouble is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.
20 Singing songs to a troubled heart is like taking off clothing on a cold day, or like [pouring] vinegar on soda.[h]

Footnotes 8

  • [a]. Lit and your evil report will not turn back
  • [b]. Pr 17:9; Mt 5:25
  • [c]. Or like apples of gold in settings of silver
  • [d]. Pr 8:10; 15:23; 16:16
  • [e]. Pr 13:17; 16:24; 25:25
  • [f]. Pr 15:1; 16:32; Ec 10:4
  • [g]. Pr 25:27
  • [h]. Lit natron, or sodium carbonate
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