CHAPTER 25
1 Also these be the Parables of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, translated.
2 The glory of God is to cover a word; and the glory of kings is to seek out a word.
3 Heaven above, and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Do thou away rust from silver, and a full clean vessel shall go out.
5 Do thou away unpiety from the cheer of the king, and his throne shall be made steadfast by rightfulness [or rightwiseness].
6 Appear thou not glorious before the king, and stand thou not in the place of great men.
7 For it is better, that it be said to thee, Ascend thou [or Go up] hither, than that thou be made low before the prince.
8 Bring thou not forth soon those things in strife, which thine eyes saw; lest afterward thou mayest not amend, when thou hast made thy friend unhonest or he hath shamed thee.
9 Treat thy cause with thy friend, and show thou not private matter to a strange man;
10 lest peradventure he have joy of thy fall, when he hath heard, and cease not to do shame to thee.
11 A golden pomme or pommel in beds of silver is he, that speaketh a word in his time.
12 A golden earring, and a shining pearl is he, that reproveth a wise man, and an ear obeying.
13 As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, so a faithful messenger to him that sent him, maketh his soul to have rest.
14 A cloud and wind, and rain not pursuing [or following], is a glorious man, and not [ful] filling promises.
15 A prince shall be made soft by patience; and a soft tongue shall break hardness.
16 Thou hast found honey, eat thou that that sufficeth to thee; lest per-adventure thou be [full]-filled, and spew it out.
17 Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour; lest sometime he be filled, that is, annoyed, and hate thee.
18 A dart, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, is a man that speaketh false witnessing against his neighbour.
19 A rotten tooth, and a faint foot is he, that hopeth on an unfaithful man in the day of anguish,
20 and loseth his mantle in the day of cold. Vinegar in a vessel of salt is he, that singeth songs to the worst heart. As a moth annoyeth or harmeth a cloth, and a worm a tree, so the sorrow of a man annoyeth the heart.
21 If thine enemy hungereth, feed thou him; if he thirsteth, give thou him water to drink;
22 for thou shalt gather together coals on his head; and the Lord shall yield to thee.
23 The north wind scattereth abroad rains; and a sorrowful face destroyeth a tongue backbiting.
24 It is better to sit in the corner of an house without [a] roof, than with a woman full of chiding, and in a common house.
25 Cold water to a thirsty man; and a good messenger from a far land.
26 A well disturbed with foot, and a vein broken, is a just [or rightwise] man falling before a wicked man.
27 As it is not good to him that eateth much honey; so he that is a searcher of majesty, shall be put down from glory.
28 As a city open, and without compass of walls; so is a man that may not refrain his spirit in speaking.