Proverbs · American Standard Version (1901)
Proverbs 25 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4 Take away the dross from the silver, And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
4 Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner.
5 Take away the wicked [from] before the king, And his throne shall be established in righteousness.
5 Take away the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, And stand not in the place of great men:
6 Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men;
7 For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom thine eyes have seen.
7 for it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.
8 Go not forth hastily to strive, Lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, When thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.
8 Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?
9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbor [himself], And disclose not the secret of another;
9 Debate your case with your neighbor, and don’t betray the confidence of another,
10 Lest he that heareth it revile thee, And thine infamy turn not away.
10 lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart.
11 A word fitly spoken Is [like] apples of gold in network of silver.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
12 [As] an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [So is] a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, [So is] a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the soul of his masters.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 [As] clouds and wind without rain, [So is] he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.
14 As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.
15 By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
15 By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
16 Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.
17 Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbor’s house, Lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he be weary of you, and hate you.
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
18 A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is [like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
19 Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a lame foot.
20 [As] one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon soda, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
20 As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, or vinegar on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And Jehovah will reward thee.
22 for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and Yahweh will reward you.
23 The north wind bringeth forth rain; So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
23 The north wind produces rain; so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face.
24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than to share a house with a contentious woman.
25 [As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, So is good news from a far country.
25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 [As] a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, [So is] a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
26 Like a muddied spring and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey; So [for men] to search out their own glory is grievous.
27 It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.
28 He whose spirit is without restraint Is [like] a city that is broken down and without walls.
28 Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.
Cross references (26)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 1:1; 1 Kings 4:32; Micah 1:1; Hosea 1:1; Ecclesiastes 12:9
- 2 Deuteronomy 29:29; Romans 11:33–34; Job 11:7–8; Job 38:4–39:30; Job 42:3
- 3 Psalm 103:11; 1 Kings 4:29; Isaiah 55:9; 1 Peter 1:7; Romans 8:39
- 4 2 Timothy 2:20–21; Ezekiel 22:18; Proverbs 17:3; Malachi 3:2–3; Isaiah 1:25–27
- 5 Proverbs 16:12; Psalm 101:7–8; Proverbs 20:8; Proverbs 20:28; Isaiah 16:5
- 6 Proverbs 27:2; Proverbs 25:27; Proverbs 16:19; Exodus 3:11; 1 Samuel 15:17
- 7 Luke 14:7–11; 1 Peter 5:5; Luke 18:14; Revelation 4:1; Proverbs 16:19
- 8 Matthew 5:25; Proverbs 17:14; Proverbs 18:6; Proverbs 30:33; Proverbs 14:12
- 9 Matthew 18:5–17; Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 20:19
- 11 Proverbs 15:23; Isaiah 50:4; Ecclesiastes 12:10; Proverbs 24:26
- 12 Psalm 141:5; Proverbs 15:31–32; Proverbs 9:8; Proverbs 27:5–6; Proverbs 15:5
- 13 Proverbs 13:17; Proverbs 25:25; Philippians 2:25–30; Proverbs 26:6
- 14 Proverbs 20:6; Luke 14:11; 2 Peter 2:15–19; 1 Kings 22:11; Jude 16
- 15 Ecclesiastes 10:4; Proverbs 15:1; Proverbs 16:14; Genesis 32:4–21; 1 Samuel 25:24–44
- 16 Proverbs 25:27; Ephesians 5:18; Proverbs 24:13–14; Isaiah 7:15; 1 Samuel 14:25–27
- 18 Psalm 57:4; Proverbs 12:18; James 3:6; Jeremiah 9:8; Proverbs 24:28
- 19 Isaiah 36:6; Ezekiel 29:6–7; Job 6:14–20; 2 Chronicles 28:20–21; 2 Timothy 4:16
- 20 Romans 12:15; Ecclesiastes 3:4; James 2:15–16; Proverbs 10:26; Deuteronomy 24:12–17
- 21 Romans 12:20–21; Matthew 5:44; Proverbs 24:17; Exodus 23:4–5; Luke 10:33–36
- 22 2 Samuel 16:12; Matthew 10:13
- 23 Proverbs 26:20; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Psalm 15:3; Romans 1:30; Job 37:22
- 24 Proverbs 21:19; Proverbs 21:9; Proverbs 27:15–16; Proverbs 19:13
- 25 Proverbs 15:30; Romans 10:15; Psalm 63:1; Revelation 21:6; Nahum 1:15
- 26 Ezekiel 34:18–19; Matthew 26:69–74; Genesis 4:8; 1 Samuel 22:14–18; 1 Thessalonians 2:15
- 27 Proverbs 27:2; John 5:44; Philippians 2:3; Proverbs 25:16; 2 Corinthians 12:1
- 28 Proverbs 16:32; Proverbs 22:24; Nehemiah 1:3; 2 Chronicles 32:5; 1 Samuel 20:30
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… that the enemy should not know when we do our alms, how shall we do with the enemy himself so as to fulfil that precept, "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink"?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)