Comparisons and Moral Lessons

25¹ These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed.

² It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a thing. ³ The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁴ Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner: ⁵ take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

⁶ Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of the great; ⁷ for better it is 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 see.

⁸ Go not forth hastily to strive, lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame. ⁹ Debate thy cause with thy neighbour, but reveal not the secret of another; ¹⁰ lest he that heareth [it] disgrace thee, and thine evil report turn not away.

¹¹ [As] apples of gold in pictures of silver, is a word spoken in season. ¹² An ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, is a wise reprover upon an attentive ear.

¹³ 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 Clouds and wind without rain, [so] is a man that boasteth himself of a false gift.

¹⁵ By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

¹⁶ Hast thou found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be surfeited therewith, and vomit it.

¹⁷ Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee and hate thee.

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

¹⁹ A broken tooth, and a tottering foot, is confidence in an unfaithful [man] in the day of trouble.

²⁰ [As] he that taketh off a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a sad heart.

²¹ If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: ²² for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and Jehovah shall reward thee.

²³ The north wind bringeth forth rain, and the angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

²⁴ It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman, and a house in common.

²⁵ [As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁶ A troubled fountain, and a defiled well, is a righteous [man] that giveth way before the wicked.

²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey; and to search into weighty matters is [itself] a weight.

²⁸ He that hath no rule over his own spirit is [as] a city broken down, without walls.

26¹ As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.

² As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.

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

⁴ Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. ⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

⁶ He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh damage. ⁷ The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. ⁸ As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. ⁹ [As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰ A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.

¹¹ As a dog turneth back to its vomit, [so] a fool repeateth his folly.

¹² Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

¹³ The sluggard saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!

¹⁴ [As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so the sluggard upon his bed.

¹⁵ The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.

¹⁶ A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven [men] that answer discreetly.

¹⁷ He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.

¹⁸ As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, ¹⁹ so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?

²⁰ Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth. ²¹ [As] coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife. ²² The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

²³ Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are [as] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

²⁴ He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him: ²⁵ when his voice is gracious, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart. ²⁶ Though [his] hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.

²⁷ Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.

²⁸ A lying tongue hateth those that are injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

9¹ For concerning the ministration which [is] for the saints, it is superfluous my writing to you. ² For I know your readiness, which I boast of as respects you to Macedonians, that Achaia is prepared since a year ago, and the zeal [reported] of you has stimulated the mass [of the brethren]. ³ But I have sent the brethren, in order that our boasting about you may not be made void in this respect, in order that, as I have said, ye may be prepared; ⁴ lest haply, if Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, that we say not ye, may be put to shame in this confidence. ⁵ I thought it necessary therefore to beg the brethren that they would come to you, and complete beforehand your fore-announced blessing, that this may be ready thus as blessing, and not as got out of you.

⁶ But this [is true], he that sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sows in [the spirit of] blessing shall reap also in blessing: ⁷ each according as he is purposed in his heart; not grievingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ But God is able to make every gracious gift abound towards you, that, having in every way always all-sufficiency, ye may abound to every good work: ⁹ according as it is written, He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor, his righteousness remains for ever. ¹⁰ Now he that supplies seed to the sower and bread for eating shall supply and make abundant your sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: ¹¹ enriched in every way unto all free-hearted liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to God. ¹² Because the ministration of this service is not only filling up the measure of what is lacking to the saints, but also abounding by many thanksgivings to God; ¹³ they glorifying God through the proof of this ministration, by reason of your subjection, by profession, to the glad tidings of the Christ, and your free-hearted liberality in communicating towards them and towards all; ¹⁴ and in their supplication for you, full of ardent desire for you, on account of the exceeding grace of God [which is] upon you. ¹⁵ Thanks [be] to God for his unspeakable free gift.