25 ² It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. 25 ³ As the heavens for height,
and the earth for depth,
so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
25 ⁴ Take away the dross from the silver,
and the smith has material for a vessel;
25 ⁵ take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
25 ⁶ Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
or stand in the place of the great;
25 ⁷ for it is better to be told, "Come up here,"
than to be put lower in the presence of the prince.

What your eyes have seen
25 ⁸ do not hastily bring into court;
for what will you do in the end,
when your neighbour puts you to shame?
25 ⁹ Argue your case with your neighbour himself,
and do not disclose another's secret;
25 ¹⁰ lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.

25 ¹¹ A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
25 ¹² Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold
is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
25 ¹³ Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
he refreshes the spirit of his masters.
25 ¹⁴ Like clouds and wind without rain
is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.

25 ¹⁵ With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
and a soft tongue will break a bone.
25 ¹⁶ If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,
lest you be sated with it and vomit it.
25 ¹⁷ Let your foot be seldom in your neighbour's house,
lest he become weary of you and hate you.
25 ¹⁸ A man who bears false witness against his neighbour
is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.
25 ¹⁹ Trust in a faithless man in time of trouble
is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
25 ²⁰ He who sings songs to a heavy heart
is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,
and like vinegar on a wound.
25 ²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
25 ²² for you will heap coals of fire on his head,
and Yahweh will reward you.
25 ²³ The north wind brings forth rain;
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
25 ²⁴ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 ²⁵ Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from a far country.
25 ²⁶ Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
25 ²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey,
so be sparing of complimentary words.
25 ²⁸ A man without self-control
is like a city broken into and left without walls.

26 ¹ Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
so honour is not fitting for a fool.
26 ² Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
a curse that is causeless does not alight.
26 ³ A whip for the horse,
a bridle for the ass,
and a rod for the back of fools.
26 ⁴ Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
26 ⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
26 ⁶ He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
26 ⁷ Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless,
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
26 ⁸ Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is he who gives honour to a fool.
26 ⁹ Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
26 ¹⁰ Like an archer who wounds everybody
is he who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
26 ¹¹ Like a dog that returns to his vomit
is a fool that repeats his folly.
26 ¹² Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
26 ¹³ The sluggard says,
"There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!"
26 ¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.
26 ¹⁵ The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
26 ¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who can answer discreetly.
26 ¹⁷ He who meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
26 ¹⁸ Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
26 ¹⁹ is the man who deceives his neighbour and says, "I am only joking!"
26 ²⁰ For lack of wood the fire goes out;
and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
26 ²¹ As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
26 ²² The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
26 ²³ Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel
are smooth lips with an evil heart.
26 ²⁴ He who hates, dissembles with his lips
and harbours deceit in his heart;
26 ²⁵ when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
for there are seven abominations in his heart;
26 ²⁶ though his hatred be covered with guile,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
26 ²⁷ He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back upon him who starts it rolling.
26 ²⁸ A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.

27 ¹ Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
27 ² Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
27 ³ A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
but a fool's provocation is heavier than both.
27 ⁴ Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming;
but who can stand before jealousy?
27 ⁵ Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
27 ⁶ Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
27 ⁷ He who is sated loathes honey,
but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
27 ⁸ Like a bird that strays from its nest,
is a man who strays from his home.
27 ⁹ Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
but the soul is torn by trouble.
27 ¹⁰ Your friend, and your father's friend, do not forsake;
and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbour who is near than a brother who is far away.
27 ¹¹ Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
that I may answer him who reproaches me.
27 ¹² A prudent man sees danger and hides himself;
but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
27 ¹³ Take a man's garment when he has given surety for a stranger,
and hold him in pledge when he gives surety for foreigners.
27 ¹⁴ He who blesses his neighbour with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning,
will be counted as cursing.
27 ¹⁵ A continual dripping on a rainy day
and a contentious woman are alike;
27 ¹⁶ to restrain her is to restrain the wind
or to grasp oil in his right hand.
27 ¹⁷ Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.
27 ¹⁸ He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who guards his master will be honoured.
27 ¹⁹ As in water face answers to face,
so the mind of man reflects the man.
27 ²⁰ Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
27 ²¹ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and a man is judged by his praise.
27 ²² Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
yet his folly will not depart from him.

27 ²³ Know well the condition of your flocks,
and give attention to your herds;
27 ²⁴ for riches do not last for ever;
and does a crown endure to all generations?
27 ²⁵ When the grass is gone, and the new growth appears,
and the herbage of the mountains is gathered,
27 ²⁶ the lambs will provide your clothing,
and the goats the price of a field;
27 ²⁷ there will be enough goats' milk for your food,
for the food of your household
and maintenance for your maidens.

28 ¹ The wicked flee when no one pursues,
but the righteous are bold as a lion.
28 ² When a land transgresses it has many rulers;
but with men of understanding and knowledge
its stability will long continue.
28 ³ A poor man who oppresses the poor
is a beating rain that leaves no food.
28 ⁴ Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law strive against them.
28 ⁵ Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek Yahweh understand it completely.
28 ⁶ Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
than a rich man who is perverse in his ways.
28 ⁷ He who keeps the law is a wise son,
but a companion of gluttons shames his father.
28 ⁸ He who augments his wealth by interest and increase
gathers it for him who is kind to the poor.
28 ⁹ If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
even his prayer is an abomination.
28 ¹⁰ He who misleads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit;
but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.
28 ¹¹ A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.
28 ¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great glory;
but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.
28 ¹³ He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
28 ¹⁴ Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh always;
but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
28 ¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
28 ¹⁶ A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor;
but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
28 ¹⁷ If a man is burdened with the blood of another,
let him be a fugitive until death;
let no one help him.
28 ¹⁸ He who walks in integrity will be delivered,
but he who is perverse in his ways will fall into a pit.
28 ¹⁹ He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
28 ²⁰ A faithful man will abound with blessings,
but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
28 ²¹ To show partiality is not good;
but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
28 ²² A miserly man hastens after wealth,
and does not know that want will come upon him.
28 ²³ He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favour
than he who flatters with his tongue.
28 ²⁴ He who robs his father or his mother
and says, "That is no transgression,"
is the companion of a man who destroys.
28 ²⁵ A greedy man stirs up strife,
but he who trusts in Yahweh will be enriched.
28 ²⁶ He who trusts in his own mind is a fool;
but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
28 ²⁷ He who gives to the poor will not want,
but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
28 ²⁸ When the wicked rise, men hide themselves,
but when they perish, the righteous increase.

29 ¹ He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck
will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
29 ² When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
29 ³ He who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
but one who keeps company with harlots squanders his substance.
29 ⁴ By justice a king gives stability to the land,
but one who exacts gifts ruins it.
29 ⁵ A man who flatters his neighbour
spreads a net for his feet.
29 ⁶ An evil man is ensnared in his transgression,
but a righteous man sings and rejoices.
29 ⁷ A righteous man knows the rights of the poor;
a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
29 ⁸ Scoffers set a city aflame,
but wise men turn away wrath.
29 ⁹ If a wise man has an argument with a fool,
the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.
29 ¹⁰ Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless,
and the wicked seek his life.
29 ¹¹ A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise man quietly holds it back.
29 ¹² If a ruler listens to falsehood,
all his officials will be wicked.
29 ¹³ The poor man and the oppressor meet together;
Yahweh gives light to the eyes of both.
29 ¹⁴ If a king judges the poor with equity
his throne will be established for ever.
29 ¹⁵ The rod and reproof give wisdom,
but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
29 ¹⁶ When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases;
but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
29 ¹⁷ Discipline your son,
and he will give you rest;
he will give delight to your heart.
29 ¹⁸ Where there is no prophecy the people cast off restraint,
but blessed is he who keeps the law.
29 ¹⁹ By mere words a servant is not disciplined,
for though he understands, he will not give heed.
29 ²⁰ Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
29 ²¹ He who pampers his servant from childhood,
will in the end find him his heir.
29 ²² A man of wrath stirs up strife,
and a man given to anger causes much transgression.
29 ²³ A man's pride will bring him low,
but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honour.
29 ²⁴ The partner of a thief hates his own life;
he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
29 ²⁵ The fear of man lays a snare,
but he who trusts in Yahweh is safe.
29 ²⁶ Many seek the favour of a ruler,
but from Yahweh a man gets justice.
29 ²⁷ An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
but he whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.