Proverbs 25

1 Also these be the Parables of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, translated.

2 The glory of God is to cover a word; and the glory of kings is to seek out a word. (The glory of God be those things which he hath hidden; and the glory of kings is to search them out.)

3 Heaven above, and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable. (The heavens be above, and the earth is beneath, and a king's heart is unsearchable.)

4 Do thou away rust from silver, and a full clean vessel shall go out.

5 Do thou away unpiety from the cheer of the king (Take thou away wicked persons from before the king), and his throne shall be made steadfast by rightfulness.

6 Appear thou not glorious before the king, and stand thou not in the place of great men.

7 For it is better, that it be said to thee, Ascend thou hither (Come thou up here), than that thou be made low before the prince.

8 Bring thou not forth soon those things in strife, which thine eyes saw; lest afterward thou mayest not amend, when thou hast made thy friend unhonest. (Bring thou not soon forth those things in strife, or an argument, which thine eyes saw; lest afterward thou cannot correct it, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.)

9 Treat thy cause with thy friend, and show thou not (a) private (matter) to a strange man;

10 lest peradventure he have joy of thy fall (lest perhaps he have joy over thy fall), when he hath heard (of it), and cease not to do shame to thee.

11 (As) A golden pommel in beds of silver is he, that speaketh a word in his time. (Like a golden apple in beds of silver, is a word spoken at its proper time.)

12 (As) A golden earring, and a shining pearl is he, that reproveth a wise man, and an ear obeying. (Like a golden earring, and a shining pearl, is a wise person who rebuketh someone with an obedient ear.)

13 As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, so a faithful messenger to him that sent him, maketh his soul to have rest. (Like the cold of snow on the day of harvest, is a faithful messenger to him who sent him, for he maketh his soul to have rest.)

14 (As) A cloud and wind, and (then) rain not following, is a glorious man, and not [ful]filling promises. (Like a cloud and wind, but then rain not following, is a honourable person who fulfilleth not his promises.)

15 A prince shall be made soft by patience; and a soft tongue shall break hardness.

16 Thou hast found honey, eat thou (only) that that sufficeth to thee; lest peradventure thou be (over-)filled, and spew it out.

17 Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour; lest sometime he be filled (of thee), that is, annoyed (by thee), and hate thee.

18 (Like) A dart, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, (is) a man that speaketh false witnessing against his neighbour.

19 (As) A rotten tooth, and a faint foot is he, that hopeth on an unfaithful man in the day of anguish, (Like a rotten tooth, and a faint foot, is he, who hopeth on, or trusteth in, an unfaithful person on his day of anguish.)

20 and loseth his mantle in the day of cold. Vinegar in a vessel of salt is he, that singeth songs to the worst heart. As a moth harmeth a cloth, and a worm harmeth a tree, so the sorrow of a man harmeth the heart. (Like him who taketh away a mantle on a cold day, and like vinegar in a vessel of salt, is he who singeth songs to an aggrieved heart. Like a moth harmeth a cloak, and a worm harmeth a tree, so a person's sorrow harmeth his heart.)

21 If thine enemy hungereth, feed thou him; if he thirsteth, give thou him water to drink;

22 for thou shalt gather together coals on his head; and the Lord shall yield to thee. (for thou shalt gather together coals upon his head; and the Lord shall reward thee.)

23 The north wind scattereth abroad rains; and a sorrowful face destroyeth a tongue backbiting. (Like the north wind scattereth rains abroad; so an angry look destroyeth a backbiting tongue.)

24 It is better to sit in the corner of an house without [a] roof, than with a woman full of chiding, and in a common house. (It is better to sit in the corner of a house without a roof, than to be with a woman full of arguments, or of bickering, in a house together.)

25 Cold water to a thirsty man; and a good messenger from a far land. (Like cold water to a thirsty man, is good news from a far land.)

26 (As) A well disturbed with foot, and a vein broken, (is) a just man falling before a wicked man. (Like a well disturbed with a foot, and a broken fountain, is the righteous falling before the wicked.)

27 As it is not good to him that eateth much honey; so he that is a searcher of majesty, shall be put down from glory. (Like it is not good for him who eateth too much honey; so he who seeketh his own glory, shall be brought down from his place of honour.)

28 As a city open, and without compass of walls; so is a man that may not refrain his spirit in speaking. (Like a city that is open, and without any walls surrounding it, is a man who cannot refrain his own spirit from speaking.)

Proverbs 25 Commentary

Chapter 25

Verses 1-3 God needs not search into any thing; nothing can be hid from him. But it is the honour of rulers to search out matters, ( proverbs 25:4-5 ) to suppress vice, and reform his people, is the best way to ( proverbs 25:6-7 ) self-denial. He who has seen the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus, will feel his own unworthiness. ( 8-10 ) . To be hasty in beginning strife, will bring into difficulties. War must at length end, and might better be prevented. It is so in private ( proverbs 25:11-12 ) word of counsel, or reproof, rightly spoken, is especially beautiful, as fine fruit becomes still more beautiful in silver baskets. Verse 13 . See what ought to be the aim of him that is trusted with any business; to be faithful. A faithful minister, Christ's messenger, should be thus acceptable to us. Verse 14 . He who pretends to have received or given that which he never had, is like the morning cloud, that disappoints those who look for rain. Verse 15 . Be patient to bear a present hurt. Be mild to speak without passion; for persuasive language is the most effectual to prevail over the hardened mind. Verse 16 . God has given us leave to use grateful things, but we are cautioned against excess. Verse 17 . We cannot be upon good terms with our neighbours, without discretion as well as sincerity. How much better a Friend is God than any other friend! The oftener we come to him, the more welcome. Verse 18 . A false testimony is dangerous in every thing. Verse 19 . Confidence in an unfaithful man is painful and vexatious; when we put any stress on him, he not only fails, but makes us feel for it. Verse 20 . We take a wrong course if we think to relieve those in sorrow by endeavoring to make them merry. (proverbs 25:21-22 ) The precept to love even our enemies is an Old Testament commandment. Our Saviour has shown his own great example in loving us when we were enemies. Verse 23 . Slanders would not be so readily spoken, if they were not readily heard. Sin, if it receives any check, becomes cowardly. Verse 24 . It is better to be alone, than to be joined to one who is a hinderance to the comfort of life. Verse 25 . Heaven is a country afar off; how refreshing is good news from thence, in the everlasting gospel, which signifies glad tidings, and in the witness of the Spirit with our spirits that we are God's children! Verse 26 . When the righteous are led into sin, it is as hurtful as if the public fountains were poisoned. Verse 27 . We must be, through grace, dead to the pleasures of sense, and also to the praises of men. Verse 28 . The man who has no command over his anger, is easily robbed of peace. Let us give up ourselves to the Lord, and pray him to put his Spirit within us, and cause us to walk in his statutes.