25:1These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias, king of Juda, copied out.

25:2It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.

25:3The heaven above and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

25:4Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel:

25:5Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.

25:6Appear not glorious before the king, and stand not in the place of great men.

25:7For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.

25:8The things which thy eyes have seen, utter not hastily in a quarrel: lest afterward thou mayst not be able to make amends, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.

25:9Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:

25:10Lest he insult over thee, when he hath heard it, and cease not to upbraid thee. Grace and friendship deliver a man: keep these for thyself, lest thou fall under reproach.

25:11To speak a word in due time, is like apples of gold on beds of silver.

25:12As an earring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he that reproveth the wise, and the obedient ear.

25:13As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sent him, for he refresheth his soul.

25:14As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfil his promises.

25:15By patience a prince shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.

25:16Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.

25:17Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.

25:18A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.

25:19To trust in an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,

25:20And one that looseth his garment in cold weather. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a very evil heart. As a moth doth by a garment, and a worm by the wood: so the sadness of a man consumeth the heart.

25:21If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat: if he thirst, give him water to drink:

25:22For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.

25:23The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.

25:24It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop: than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.

25:25As cold water to a thirsty soul, so are good tidings from a far country.

25:26A just man falling down before the wicked, is as a fountain troubled with the foot and a corrupted spring.

25:27As it is not good for a man to eat much honey, so he that is a searcher of majesty shall be overwhelmed by glory.

25:28As a city that lieth open and is not compassed with walls, so is a man that cannot refrain his own spirit in speaking.

26:1As snow in summer, and rain in harvest, so glory is not seemly for a fool.

26:2As a bird flying to other places, and a sparrow going here or there: so a curse uttered without cause shall come upon a man.

26:3A whip for a horse, and a snaffle for an ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

26:4Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be made like him.

26:5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.

26:6He that sendeth words by a foolish messenger, is lame of feet and drinketh iniquity.

26:7As a lame man hath fair legs in vain: so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.

26:8As he that casteth a stone into the heap of Mercury: so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

26:9As if a thorn should grow in the hand of a drunkard: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

26:10Judgment determineth causes: and he that putteth a fool to silence, appeaseth anger.

26:11As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly.

26:12Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him.

26:13The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lioness in the roads.

26:14As the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

26:15The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and it grieveth him to turn it to his mouth.

26:16The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences.

26:17As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man's quarrel.

26:18As he is guilty that shooteth arrows, and lances unto death.

26:19So is the man that hurteth his friend deceitfully: and when he is taken, saith: I did it in jest.

26:20When the wood faileth, the fire shall go out: and when the talebearer is taken away, contentions shall cease.

26:21As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up strife.

26:22The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, but they reach to the innermost parts of the belly.

26:23Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthen vessel adorned with silver dross.

26:24An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit.

26:25When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart.

26:26He that covereth hatred deceitfully, his malice shall be laid open in the public assembly.

26:27He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him.

26:28A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin.

27:1Boast not for to morrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.

27:2Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth: a stranger, and not thy own lips.

27:3A stone is heavy, and sand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.

27:4Anger hath no mercy: nor fury, when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?

27:5Open rebuke is better than hidden love.

27:6Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.

27:7A soul that is full shall tread upon the honeycomb: and a soul that is hungry shall take even bitter for sweet.

27:8As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that leaveth his place.

27:9Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.

27:10Thy own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not: and go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy affliction. Better is a neighbour that is near than a brother afar off.

27:11Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.

27:12The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.

27:13Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.

27:14He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.

27:15Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.

27:16He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call the oil of his right hand.

27:17Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

27:18He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.

27:19As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water, so the hearts of men are laid open to the wise.

27:20Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied.

27:21As silver is tried in the fining-pot, and gold in the furnace: so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth. The heart of the wicked seeketh after evils, but the righteous heart seeketh after knowledge.

27:22Though thou shouldst bray a fool in the mortar, as when a pestle striketh upon sodden barley, his folly would not be taken from him.

27:23Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:

27:24For thou shalt not always have power: but a crown shall be given to generation and generation.

27:25The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.

27:26Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.

27:27Let the milk of the goats be enough for thy food, and for the necessities of thy house, and for maintenance for thy handmaids.

28:1The wicked man fleeth, when no man pursueth: but the just, bold as a lion, shall be without dread.

28:2For the sins of the land many are the princes thereof: and for the wisdom of a man, and the knowledge of those things that are said, the life of the prince shall be prolonged.

28:3A poor man that oppresseth the poor, is like a violent shower, which bringeth a famine.

28:4They that forsake the law, praise the wicked man: they that keep it, are incensed against him.

28:5Evil men think not on judgment: but they that seek after the Lord, take notice of all things.

28:6Better is the poor man walking in his simplicity, than the rich in crooked ways.

28:7He that keepeth the law, is a wise son: but he that feedeth gluttons, shameth his father.

28:8He that heapeth together riches by usury and loan, gathereth them for him that will be bountiful to the poor.

28:9He that turneth away his ears from hearing the law, his prayer shall be an abomination.

28:10He that deceiveth the just in a wicked way, shall fall in his own destruction: and the upright shall possess his goods.

28:11The rich man seemeth to himself wise: but the poor man that is prudent shall search him out.

28:12In the joy of the just there is great glory: when the wicked reign, men are ruined.

28:13He that hideth his sins, shall not prosper: but he that shall confess, and forsake them, shall obtain mercy.

28:14Blessed is the man that is always fearful: but he that is hardened in mind shall fall into evil.

28:15As a roaring lion, and a hungry bear, so is a wicked prince over the poor people.

28:16A prince void of prudence shall oppress many by calumny: but he that hateth covetousness, shall prolong his days.

28:17A man that doth violence to the blood of a person, if he flee even to the pit, no man will stay him.

28:18He that walketh uprightly, shall be saved: he that is perverse in his ways, shall fall at once.

28:19He that tilleth his ground, shall be filled with bread: but he that followeth idleness, shall be filled with poverty.

28:20A faithful man shall be much praised: but he that maketh haste to be rich, shall not be innocent.

28:21He that hath respect to a person in judgment, doth not well: such a man even for a morsel of bread forsaketh the truth.

28:22A man that maketh haste to be rich, and envieth others, is ignorant that poverty shall come upon him.

28:23He that rebuketh a man, shall afterward find favour with him, more than he that by a flattering tongue deceiveth him.

28:24He that stealeth any thing from his father, or from his mother: and saith, This is no sin, is the partner of a murderer.

28:25He that boasteth and puffeth up himself, stirreth up quarrels: but he that trusteth in the Lord, shall be healed.

28:26He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool: but he that walketh wisely, he shall be saved.

28:27He that giveth to the poor shall not want: he that despiseth his entreaty, shall suffer indigence.

28:28When the wicked rise up, men shall hide themselves: when they perish, the just shall be multiplied.