Proverbs 24; Proverbs 25; Proverbs 26

Proverbs 24

1 Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:

2 Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.

3 By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.

4 By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.

5 A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.

6 Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.

7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he shall not open his mouth.

8 He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.

9 The thought of a fool is sin: and the detractor is the abomination of men.

10 If thou lose hope, being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.

11 Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death, forbear not to deliver.

12 If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.

13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat.

14 So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.

15 Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.

16 For a just man shall fall seven times, and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.

17 When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:

18 Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19 Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly.

20 For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21 My son, fear the Lord, and the king: and have nothing to do with detractors.

22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?

23 These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.

24 They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.

25 They that rebuke him shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.

26 He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.

27 Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.

28 Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.

29 Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.

30 I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:

31 And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.

32 Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.

33 Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest.

34 And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.

Proverbs 25

1 These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias, king of Juda, copied out.

2 It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.

3 The heaven above and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4 Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel:

5 Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.

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

7 For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.

8 The things which thy eyes have seen, utter not hastily in a quarrel: lest afterward thou mayst not be able to make amends, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.

9 Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:

10 Lest he insult over thee, when he hath heard it, and cease not to upbraid thee. Grace and friendship deliver a man: keep these for thyself, lest thou fall under reproach.

11 To speak a word in due time, is like apples of gold on beds of silver.

12 As an earring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he that reproveth the wise, and the obedient ear.

13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sent him, for he refresheth his soul.

14 As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfil his promises.

15 By patience a prince shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.

16 Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.

17 Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.

18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.

19 To trust in an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,

20 And one that looseth his garment in cold weather. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a very evil heart. As a moth doth by a garment, and a worm by the wood: so the sadness of a man consumeth the heart.

21 If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat: if he thirst, give him water to drink:

22 For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.

23 The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.

24 It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop: than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.

25 As cold water to a thirsty soul, so are good tidings from a far country.

26 A just man falling down before the wicked, is as a fountain troubled with the foot and a corrupted spring.

27 As it is not good for a man to eat much honey, so he that is a searcher of majesty shall be overwhelmed by glory.

28 As a city that lieth open and is not compassed with walls, so is a man that cannot refrain his own spirit in speaking.

Proverbs 26

1 As snow in summer, and rain in harvest, so glory is not seemly for a fool.

2 As a bird flying to other places, and a sparrow going here or there: so a curse uttered without cause shall come upon a man.

3 A whip for a horse, and a snaffle for an ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be made like him.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.

6 He that sendeth words by a foolish messenger, is lame of feet and drinketh iniquity.

7 As a lame man hath fair legs in vain: so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.

8 As he that casteth a stone into the heap of Mercury: so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

9 As if a thorn should grow in the hand of a drunkard: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

10 Judgment determineth causes: and he that putteth a fool to silence, appeaseth anger.

11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly.

12 Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him.

13 The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lioness in the roads.

14 As the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

15 The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and it grieveth him to turn it to his mouth.

16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences.

17 As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man’s quarrel.

18 As he is guilty that shooteth arrows, and lances unto death.

19 So is the man that hurteth his friend deceitfully: and when he is taken, saith: I did it in jest.

20 When the wood faileth, the fire shall go out: and when the talebearer is taken away, contentions shall cease.

21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up strife.

22 The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, but they reach to the innermost parts of the belly.

23 Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthen vessel adorned with silver dross.

24 An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit.

25 When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart.

26 He that covereth hatred deceitfully, his malice shall be laid open in the public assembly.

27 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him.

28 A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin.