Comparisons and Moral Lessons

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

² It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. ³ As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁴ Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel; ⁵ take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶ Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, ⁷ for it is better to be told, "Come up here," than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.What your eyes have seen

⁸ do not hastily bring into court, for[1] what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? ⁹ Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another's secret, ¹⁰ lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end.

¹¹ A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. ¹² Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

¹³ Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.

¹⁴ Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.

¹⁵ With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.

¹⁶ If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.

¹⁷ Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.

¹⁸ A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.

¹⁹ Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.

²⁰ Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda.

²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, ²² for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

²³ The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

²⁴ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.

²⁵ Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁶ Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory.[2]

²⁸ A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

26¹ Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

² Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.

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

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

⁶ Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. ⁷ Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools. ⁸ Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool. ⁹ Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰ Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[3]

¹¹ Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

¹² Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³ The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!"

¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.

¹⁵ The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

¹⁷ Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

¹⁸ Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death ¹⁹ is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I am only joking!"

²⁰ For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. ²¹ As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. ²² The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

²³ Like the glaze[4] covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.

²⁴ Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; ²⁵ when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; ²⁶ though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

9¹ Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, ² for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. ³ But I am sending[5] the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. ⁴ Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated--to say nothing of you--for being so confident. ⁵ So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift[6] you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.[7]

⁶ The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[8] will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[9] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." ¹⁰ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. ¹² For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. ¹³ By their approval of this service, they[10] will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, ¹⁴ while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!