Proverbs 25-27
The Voice
25 These words, too, are proverbs of King Solomon, words which Hezekiah, king of Judah, later told his scribes to record for posterity:
2 God’s glory is shown when He conceals things;
a king’s glory is shown in his ability to explore the facts of the matter.
3 As the heights of heaven and the depths of earth are beyond comprehension,
so are the hearts of kings.
4 Take away the impurities from the silver,
and a good smith can create something of value;
5 Take away the wicked from among the king’s advisors,
and his reign will be established with integrity.
6 Do not claim to be important in the presence of the king
or vie for a position within the company of great men.
7 Truly, it is far sweeter to have someone of influence say to you, “Come up here and join us,”
than to be ordered to some lower rank in front of a noble.
Just because you think you have seen something
8 doesn’t mean you should be quick to go to court,
For what will you do
when your neighbor disproves the charge and embarrasses you?
9 Instead, discuss the matter directly with your neighbor,
but in doing so, remember never to reveal another person’s secrets;
10 For if you do, someone who hears you could disgrace you,
and a bad reputation will cling to you ever afterward.
11 A well-spoken word at just the right moment
is like golden apples in settings of silver.
12 To an attentive ear, constructive criticism from a truly wise person
is like an earring or jewelry made of fine gold.
13 Like a cooling snow that breaks the heat of a harvest day,
so is the messenger who is faithful to those who sent him,
for he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Like clouds and wind that bring no rain,
so is one who boasts of gifts promised but never delivered.
15 Patience can soften up a leader,
and a tender tongue can break even bone.
16 When you find honey, remember to eat only what you need,
because if you eat in excess, you may be sick and lose all of it.
17 Don’t visit your neighbor too often,
or he will become tired of you and grow to hate you.
18 Like a maul and a sword and a sharp arrow all in one,
so is anyone who bears false witness against a neighbor.
19 Like a tooth that is rotten or a foot that is unsteady,
so is relying on a person who can’t be trusted in times of trouble.
20 Like a man who undresses in winter
or a woman who pours vinegar on a wound,[a]
So is anyone who tries to sing happy songs
to a sorrowful heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink,
22 For your kind treatment will be like heaping hot coals on his head,[b]
it may cause a change in heart,
and the Eternal will repay you.
Acts of kindness, especially when we know they are undeserved, awaken a slumbering conscience, stimulate sorrow, and perhaps even effect a change. They are the best ways to turn an enemy into a friend.
23 As surely as a north wind drives the rain before it,
a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.
24 It is better to dwell outside on the corner of your roof
than to live inside your house with a badgering wife.
25 Like cool water to a weary soul,
so is good news from a distant country.
26 Like a muddy spring or a polluted fountain,
so is a righteous person who gives in to the wicked.
27 Eating too much honey is not good for you,
nor is it good to seek one honor after another.
28 Like a conquered city with no walls,
so is a man who has no self-control.
26 Like snow in the summer and rain in the time of harvest,
so honor is never fitting for a fool.
2 Like a bird that flits and flutters or a swallow in mid-flight,
so a curse that lacks cause will never come to light.
3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey,
and a rod is for the fool’s back.
4 Never answer a fool on his own foolish terms,
or you will become like him;
5 Rather, answer a fool on his own foolish terms,
or he will become wise in his own eyes.
6 Like someone who cuts off his feet or drinks to his ruin,
so is the one who uses a fool to pass on his message.
7 As lame legs are useless, dangling on the crippled,
so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Like one who ties a stone in his slingshot,
so is one who honors a fool.
9 Like a thorn in the hand of a drunkard,
so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Like an archer who shoots at random and injures everyone,
so is a person who hires a fool or someone off the street.[c]
11 Like a dog who goes back to his own vomit,[d]
so is a fool who always returns to his foolishness.
12 Have you seen a person who is wise in his own sight?
Know that there is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 A lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the road!
A lion in the streets!
Another good reason to stay in today.”
14 As a door swings on its hinges and goes nowhere,
so a slacker turns over in his bed.
15 Some people are so lazy that they reach for food on the plate
but lack the will to bring it up to their mouths.
16 The slacker sees himself as wiser by far
than seven men who can converse intelligently.
17 Like a man who seizes a wild dog by the ears,
so is anyone who walks by and meddles in someone else’s argument.
18 Like a madman who hurls flaming spears and shoots deadly arrows,
19 So is anyone who deceives a neighbor
and then says, “But I was only joking with you.”
20 When there is no wood, the fire goes out;
when there is no one to spread gossip, arguing stops.
21 Like charcoal to smoldering embers and dry wood to a fire,
so a hot-tempered man kindles strife.
22 Whispered gossip is like a delicious first course:
it is devoured with pleasure and then penetrates deep within you.
23 Like a shiny glaze[e] coating a rough clay pot,
so are burning lips that conceal an evil heart.
24 One who hates may camouflage it beneath pleasant words,
but deep inside him, treachery still rages;
25 Don’t believe him when he speaks kindly
because his heart is completely ruled by evil.[f]
26 And though he covers his hatred with cleverness,
his wicked ways will be publicly exposed.
27 The one who digs a trap for another will fall into it,
and the one who starts rolling a stone will have it roll back over him.
28 Liars take no pity on those they crush with their lies,
and flattery spoils everyone it touches.
27 Don’t brag about what may happen tomorrow
because you have no idea what it will bring.
2 Let someone else praise you;
compliments are always sweeter from a stranger’s lips than from your own.
3 Heavy is rock and weighty is sand,
but more burdensome than either is the anger of a fool.
4 Wrath is fierce and anger is a tidal wave of fury,
but who of us can stand up against jealousy?
5 Open rebuke is better
than hidden love.
6 Wounds inflicted by the correction of a friend prove he is faithful;
the abundant kisses of an enemy show his lies.
7 The person who is full has no interest in honey;
but to the starving, bitterness itself is sweet.
8 Like a bird that strays far from its nest,
so is a person who forsakes his own home.
9 The heart is delighted by the fragrance of oil and sweet perfumes,
and in just the same way, the soul is sweetened by the wise counsel of a friend.
10 Do not neglect your friend or your parent’s friend for that matter.
When hard times come, you don’t have to travel far to get help from family;
A neighbor who is near is better
than a brother who is far away.
11 Study to be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
for then your life will be my answer to anyone who hurls insults.
12 The astute see evil coming and take shelter,
but the stupid plow right on and then, of course, have to pay the price.
13 If someone guarantees a stranger’s debt, hold his garment as collateral;
if that guarantee is for the debt of a foreigner, make sure you get a deposit.
14 Anyone who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice
early in the morning,
will find his blessing regarded as a curse.
15 A constant dripping on a rainy day
and a wife’s bickering are very much alike:
16 Anyone who tries to control her might as well try to control the wind
or pick up oil in his right hand.
17 In the same way that iron sharpens iron,
a person sharpens the character of his friend.
18 Whoever takes care of a fig tree will eat of its fruit,
and whoever cares for his master will be honored.
19 Just as water reflects a person’s true face,
so the human heart reflects a person’s true character.
20 Neither the grave nor destruction is ever satisfied;
the desires of people are never totally fulfilled.
21 The crucible is used for refining silver, the furnace for gold,
but praise is what tests a person’s mettle.
22 Though you grind a fool like grain
in a mortar with a pestle,
still his foolishness will not be separated from him.
23 Pay careful attention to your flocks,
and see to the welfare of your herds
24 Because riches do not last forever,
nor does one dynasty retain power through all generations.
25 When the hay is harvested and the autumn grasses begin to grow
and the herbs of the mountains are gathered,
26 Then the lambs will provide wool for your clothing,
young goats can be sold to buy a new field,
27 And there will be enough milk from your goats
to sustain you, your family, and your serving girls.
Footnotes
- 25:20 Hebrew text is uncertain, literally “soda”; Greek, “wound.”
- 25:22 Romans 12:20
- 26:10 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 26:11 2 Peter 2:22
- 26:23 Literally, “silver dross”
- 26:25 Literally, “seven detestable evils”
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
