^{1 Ref} Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: --

^{2 Ref} The honour of God `is' to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.

^{3 Ref} The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings -- `are' unsearchable.

^{4 Ref} Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,

^{5 Ref} Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.

^{6 Ref} Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.

^{7 Ref} 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.

^{8 Ref} Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?

^{9 Ref} Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,

^{10 Ref} Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.

^{11 Ref} Apples of gold in imagery of silver, `Is' the word spoken at its fit times.

^{12 Ref} A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, `Is' the wise reprover to an attentive ear.

^{13 Ref} 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.

^{14 Ref} Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, `Is' a man boasting himself in a false gift.

^{15 Ref} By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.

^{16 Ref} Honey thou hast found -- eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated `with' it, and hast vomited it.

^{17 Ref} Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated `with' thee, and have hated thee.

^{18 Ref} A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, `Is' the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.

^{19 Ref} A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, `Is' the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.

^{20 Ref} Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, `Is as' vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.

^{21 Ref} If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.

^{22 Ref} For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.

^{23 Ref} A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue -- indignant faces.

^{24 Ref} Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than `with' a woman of contentions, and a house of company.

^{25 Ref} `As' cold waters for a weary soul, So `is' a good report from a far country.

^{26 Ref} A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, `Is' the righteous falling before the wicked.

^{27 Ref} The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour -- honour.

^{28 Ref} A city broken down without walls, `Is' a man without restraint over his spirit!

^{1 Ref} These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

^{2 Ref} It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.

^{3 Ref} The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.

^{4 Ref} Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.

^{5 Ref} Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.

^{6 Ref} Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great:

^{7 Ref} For it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler.

^{8 Ref} Do not be quick to go to law about what you have seen, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbour has put you to shame?

^{9 Ref} Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:

^{10 Ref} Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.

^{11 Ref} A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.

^{12 Ref} Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.

^{13 Ref} As the cold of snow in the time of grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master.

^{14 Ref} As clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.

^{15 Ref} A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.

^{16 Ref} If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.

^{17 Ref} Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.

^{18 Ref} One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow.

^{19 Ref} Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot.

^{20 Ref} Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad heart.

^{21 Ref} If your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water:

^{22 Ref} For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward.

^{23 Ref} As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.

^{24 Ref} It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.

^{25 Ref} As cold water to a tired soul, so is good news from a far country.

^{26 Ref} Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers.

^{27 Ref} It is not good to take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured.

^{28 Ref} He whose spirit is uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into.

^{1 Ref} These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

^{2 Ref} It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

^{3 Ref} As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

^{4 Ref} Take away the dross from the silver, And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:

^{5 Ref} Take away the wicked `from' before the king, And his throne shall be established in righteousness.

^{6 Ref} Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, And stand not in the place of great men:

^{7 Ref} For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom thine eyes have seen.

^{8 Ref} Go not forth hastily to strive, Lest `thou know not' what to do in the end thereof, When thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.

^{9 Ref} Debate thy cause with thy neighbor `himself', And disclose not the secret of another;

^{10 Ref} Lest he that heareth it revile thee, And thine infamy turn not away.

^{11 Ref} A word fitly spoken Is `like' apples of gold in network of silver.

^{12 Ref} `As' an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, `So is' a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

^{13 Ref} As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, `So is' a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the soul of his masters.

^{14 Ref} `As' clouds and wind without rain, `So is' he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.

^{15 Ref} By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

^{16 Ref} Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

^{17 Ref} Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbor's house, Lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.

^{18 Ref} A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

^{19 Ref} Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is `like' a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

^{20 Ref} `As' one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, `and as' vinegar upon soda, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.

^{21 Ref} If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

^{22 Ref} For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And Jehovah will reward thee.

^{23 Ref} The north wind bringeth forth rain: So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

^{24 Ref} It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.

^{25 Ref} `As' cold waters to a thirsty soul, So is good news from a far country.

^{26 Ref} `As' a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, `So is' a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.

^{27 Ref} It is not good to eat much honey: So `for men' to search out their own glory is grievous.

^{28 Ref} He whose spirit is without restraint Is `like' a city that is broken down and without walls.