Proverbs 25-30

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition

² It is the glory of God to conceal things,
    but the glory of kings is to search things out.
³ Like the heavens for height, like the earth for depth,
    so the mind 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^[a] what will you do in the end,
    when your neighbour puts you to shame?
⁹ Argue your case with your neighbour directly,
    and do not disclose another’s secret;
¹⁰ or else someone who hears you will bring shame upon you,
    and your ill repute will 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 rebuke to a listening ear.
¹³ Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
    are faithful messengers to those who send them;
    they refresh the spirit of their masters.
¹⁴ Like clouds and wind without rain
    is one who boasts of a gift never given.
¹⁵ With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
    and a soft tongue can break bones.
¹⁶ If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,
    or else, having too much, you will vomit it.
¹⁷ Let your foot be seldom in your neighbour’s house,
    otherwise the neighbour will become weary of you and hate you.
¹⁸ Like a war club, a sword, or a sharp arrow
    is one who bears false witness against a neighbour.
¹⁹ Like a bad tooth or a lame foot
    is trust in a faithless person in time of trouble.
²⁰ Like vinegar on a wound^[b]
    is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
Like a moth in clothing or a worm in wood,
    sorrow gnaws at the human heart.^[c]
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat;
    and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink;
²² for you will heap coals of fire on their heads,
    and the Lord will reward you.
²³ The north wind produces 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 contentious 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
    are the righteous who give way before the wicked.
²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey,
    or to seek honour on top of honour.
²⁸ Like a city breached, without walls,
    is one who lacks self-control.
26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    so honour is not fitting for a fool.
² Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
    an undeserved curse goes nowhere.
³ A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.
⁴ Do not answer fools according to their folly,
    or you will be a fool yourself.
⁵ Answer fools according to their folly,
    or they will be wise in their own eyes.
⁶ It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,
    to send a message by a fool.
⁷ The legs of a disabled person hang limp;
    so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
⁸ It is like binding a stone in a sling
    to give honour to a fool.
⁹ Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
¹⁰ Like an archer who wounds everybody
    is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.^[d]
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit
    is a fool who reverts to his folly.
¹² Do you see persons wise in their own eyes?
    There is more hope for fools than for them.
¹³ The lazy person 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 lazy person in bed.
¹⁵ The lazy person buries a hand in the dish,
    and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.
¹⁶ The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem
    than seven who can answer discreetly.
¹⁷ Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears
    is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.
¹⁸ Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,
¹⁹ so is one who deceives a neighbour
    and says, ‘I am only joking!’
²⁰ For lack of wood the fire goes out,
    and where there is no whisperer, quarrelling ceases.
²¹ As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person 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^[e] covering an earthen vessel
    are smooth^[f] lips with an evil heart.
²⁴ An enemy dissembles in speaking
    while harbouring deceit within;
²⁵ when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it,
    for there are seven abominations concealed within;
²⁶ though hatred is covered with guile,
    the enemy’s wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
    and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.
²⁸ A lying tongue hates its victims,
    and a flattering mouth works ruin.
27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.
² Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—
    a stranger, and not your own lips.
³ A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
⁴ Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
    but who is able to stand before jealousy?
⁵ Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.
⁶ Well meant are the wounds a friend inflicts,
    but profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
⁷ The sated appetite spurns honey,
    but to a ravenous appetite even the bitter is sweet.
⁸ Like a bird that strays from its nest
    is one who strays from home.
⁹ Perfume and incense make the heart glad,
    but the soul is torn by trouble.^[g]
10 Do not forsake your friend or the friend of your parent;
    do not go to the house of your kindred on the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbour who is nearby
    than kindred who are far away.
¹¹ Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad,
    so that I may answer whoever reproaches me.
¹² The clever see danger and hide;
    but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
¹³ Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;
    seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.^[h]
14 Whoever blesses a neighbour with a loud voice,
    rising early in the morning,
    will be counted as cursing.
¹⁵ A continual dripping on a rainy day
    and a contentious wife are alike;
¹⁶ to restrain her is to restrain the wind
    or to grasp oil in the right hand.^[i]
17 Iron sharpens iron,
    and one person sharpens the wits^[j] of another.
¹⁸ Anyone who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and anyone who takes care of a master will be honoured.
¹⁹ Just as water reflects the face,
    so one human heart reflects another.
²⁰ Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
    and human eyes are never satisfied.
²¹ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    so a person is tested^[k] by being praised.
²² Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
    along with crushed grain,
    but the folly will not be driven out.

²³ Know well the condition of your flocks,
    and give attention to your herds;
²⁴ for riches do not last for ever,
    nor a crown for all generations.
²⁵ When the grass is gone, and new growth appears,
    and the herbage of the mountains is gathered,
²⁶ the lambs will provide your clothing,
    and the goats the price of a field;
²⁷ there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
    for the food of your household
    and nourishment for your servant-girls.
28 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
    but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
² When a land rebels
    it has many rulers;
but with an intelligent ruler
    there is lasting order.^[l]
3 A ruler^[m] who oppresses the poor
    is a beating rain that leaves no food.
⁴ Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
    but those who keep the law struggle against them.
⁵ The evil do not understand justice,
    but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.
⁶ Better to be poor and walk in integrity
    than to be crooked in one’s ways even though rich.
⁷ Those who keep the law are wise children,
    but companions of gluttons shame their parents.
⁸ One who augments wealth by exorbitant interest
    gathers it for another who is kind to the poor.
⁹ When one will not listen to the law,
    even one’s prayers are an abomination.
¹⁰ Those who mislead the upright into evil ways
    will fall into pits of their own making,
    but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.
¹¹ The rich is wise in self-esteem,
    but an intelligent poor person sees through the pose.
¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
    but when the wicked prevail, people go into hiding.
¹³ No one who conceals transgressions will prosper,
    but one who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
¹⁴ Happy is the one who is never without fear,
    but one who is hard-hearted will fall into calamity.
¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
¹⁶ A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor;
    but one who hates unjust gain will enjoy a long life.
¹⁷ If someone is burdened with the blood of another,
    let that killer be a fugitive until death;
    let no one offer assistance.
¹⁸ One who walks in integrity will be safe,
    but whoever follows crooked ways will fall into the Pit.^[n]
19 Anyone who tills the land will have plenty of bread,
    but one who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
²⁰ The faithful will abound with blessings,
    but one who is in a hurry to be rich will not go unpunished.
²¹ To show partiality is not good—
    yet for a piece of bread a person may do wrong.
²² The miser is in a hurry to get rich
    and does not know that loss is sure to come.
²³ Whoever rebukes a person will afterwards find more favour
    than one who flatters with the tongue.
²⁴ Anyone who robs father or mother
    and says, ‘That is no crime’,
    is partner to a thug.
²⁵ The greedy person stirs up strife,
    but whoever trusts in the Lord will be enriched.
²⁶ Those who trust in their own wits are fools;
    but those who walk in wisdom come through safely.
²⁷ Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,
    but one who turns a blind eye will get many a curse.
²⁸ When the wicked prevail, people go into hiding;
    but when they perish, the righteous increase.
29 One who is often reproved, yet remains stubborn,
    will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
² When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
    but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
³ A child who loves wisdom makes a parent glad,
    but to keep company with prostitutes is to squander one’s substance.
⁴ By justice a king gives stability to the land,
    but one who makes heavy exactions ruins it.
⁵ Whoever flatters a neighbour
    is spreading a net for the neighbour’s feet.
⁶ In the transgression of the evil there is a snare,
    but the righteous sing and rejoice.
⁷ The righteous know the rights of the poor;
    the wicked have no such understanding.
⁸ Scoffers set a city aflame,
    but the wise turn away wrath.
⁹ If the wise go to law with fools,
    there is ranting and ridicule without relief.
¹⁰ The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,
    and they seek the life of the upright.
¹¹ A fool gives full vent to anger,
    but the wise quietly holds it back.
¹² If a ruler listens to falsehood,
    all his officials will be wicked.
¹³ The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
    the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
¹⁴ If a king judges the poor with equity,
    his throne will be established for ever.
¹⁵ The rod and reproof give wisdom,
    but a mother is disgraced by a neglected child.
¹⁶ When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases,
    but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
¹⁷ Discipline your children, and they will give you rest;
    they will give delight to your heart.
¹⁸ Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint,
    but happy are those who keep the law.
¹⁹ By mere words servants are not disciplined,
    for though they understand, they will not give heed.
²⁰ Do you see someone who is hasty in speech?
    There is more hope for a fool than for anyone like that.
²¹ A slave pampered from childhood
    will come to a bad end.^[o]
22 One given to anger stirs up strife,
    and the hothead causes much transgression.
²³ A person’s pride will bring humiliation,
    but one who is lowly in spirit will obtain honour.
²⁴ To be a partner of a thief is to hate one’s own life;
    one hears the victim’s curse, but discloses nothing.^[p]
25 The fear of others^[q] lays a snare,
    but one who trusts in the Lord is secure.
²⁶ Many seek the favour of a ruler,
    but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.
²⁷ The unjust are an abomination to the righteous,
    but the upright are an abomination to the wicked.

Thus says the man: I am weary, O God,
    I am weary, O God. How can I prevail?^[r]
2 Surely I am too stupid to be human;
    I do not have human understanding.
³ I have not learned wisdom,
    nor have I knowledge of the holy ones.^[s]
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
    Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
    Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is the person’s name?
    And what is the name of the person’s child?
    Surely you know!

⁵ Every word of God proves true;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
⁶ Do not add to his words,
    or else he will rebuke you, and you will be found a liar.

⁷ Two things I ask of you;
    do not deny them to me before I die:
⁸ Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
    give me neither poverty nor riches;
    feed me with the food that I need,
⁹ or I shall be full, and deny you,
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
or I shall be poor, and steal,
    and profane the name of my God.

¹⁰ Do not slander a servant to a master,
    or the servant will curse you, and you will be held guilty.

¹¹ There are those who curse their fathers
    and do not bless their mothers.
¹² There are those who are pure in their own eyes
    yet are not cleansed of their filthiness.
¹³ There are those—how lofty are their eyes,
    how high their eyelids lift!—
¹⁴ there are those whose teeth are swords,
    whose teeth are knives,
to devour the poor from off the earth,
    the needy from among mortals.

¹⁵ The leech^[t] has two daughters;
    ‘Give, give,’ they cry.
Three things are never satisfied;
    four never say, ‘Enough’:
¹⁶ Sheol, the barren womb,
    the earth ever thirsty for water,
    and the fire that never says, ‘Enough.’^[u]

¹⁷ The eye that mocks a father
    and scorns to obey a mother
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley
    and eaten by the vultures.

¹⁸ Three things are too wonderful for me;
    four I do not understand:
¹⁹ the way of an eagle in the sky,
    the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
    and the way of a man with a girl.

²⁰ This is the way of an adulteress:
    she eats, and wipes her mouth,
    and says, ‘I have done no wrong.’

²¹ Under three things the earth trembles;
    under four it cannot bear up:
²² a slave when he becomes king,
    and a fool when glutted with food;
²³ an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
    and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.

²⁴ Four things on earth are small,
    yet they are exceedingly wise:
²⁵ the ants are a people without strength,
    yet they provide their food in the summer;
²⁶ the badgers are a people without power,
    yet they make their homes in the rocks;
²⁷ the locusts have no king,
    yet all of them march in rank;
²⁸ the lizard^[v] can be grasped in the hand,
    yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

²⁹ Three things are stately in their stride;
    four are stately in their gait:
³⁰ the lion, which is mightiest among wild animals
    and does not turn back before any;
³¹ the strutting rooster,^[w] the he-goat,
    and a king striding before^[x] his people.

³² If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
    or if you have been devising evil,
    put your hand on your mouth.
³³ For as pressing milk produces curds,
    and pressing the nose produces blood,
    so pressing anger produces strife.