More proverbs of Solomon

¹These are also proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah:

²It is the glory of God to hide something

and the glory of kings to discover something.

³Like the high heavens and the depths of the earth,

so the mind of a king is unsearchable.

⁴Remove the dross from the silver,

and a vessel will come out for the refiner.

⁵Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,

and his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king,

or stand in the place of important people,

⁷because it is better that he say to you,

“Come up here,”

than to be demoted before a ruler.

What your eyes see,

⁸don’t be quick to quarrel over;

what will you do in the future when your neighbor shames you?

⁹Argue it out with your neighbor,

and don’t give away someone’s secret.

¹⁰Otherwise, the one who hears it will vilify you;

the slander against you will never stop.

¹¹Words spoken at the right time

are like gold apples in a silver setting.

¹²Wise correction to an ear that listens

is like a gold earring or jewelry of fine gold.

¹³Like the coolness of snow on a harvest day

are reliable messengers to those who send them;

they restore the life of their master.

¹⁴People who brag about a gift never given

are like clouds and wind that produce no rain.

¹⁵A commander can be persuaded with patience,

and a tender tongue can break a bone.

¹⁶If you find honey, eat just the right amount;

otherwise, you’ll get full and vomit it up.

¹⁷Don’t spend too much time in your neighbor’s house.

Otherwise, they’ll get fed up with you and hate you.

¹⁸People who testify falsely against their neighbors

are like a club, sword, and sharpened arrow.

¹⁹Trusting a treacherous person at a difficult time

is like having a bad tooth or a wobbly foot.

²⁰Singing a song to a troubled heart

is like taking off a garment on a cold day

or putting vinegar on a wound.

²¹If your enemies are starving, feed them some bread;

if they are thirsty, give them water to drink.

²²By doing this, you will heap burning coals on their heads,

and the LORD will reward you.

²³The north wind stirs up rain,

and a person who plots quietly provokes angry faces.

²⁴Better to live on the edge of a roof

than to share a house with a contentious woman.

²⁵Good news from a distant land

is like cold water for a weary person.

²⁶A righteous person giving in to the wicked

is like a contaminated spring or a polluted fountain.

²⁷Eating too much honey isn’t good,

nor is it appropriate to seek honor.

²⁸A person without self-control

is like a breached city, one with no walls.