Proverbs · Geneva Bible (1599)
Proverbs 25 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Original 16th-century spelling.
1 THESE ARE ALSO PARABLES of Salomon, which the men of Hezekiah King of Iudah copied out.
1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret: but the Kings honour is to search out a thing.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3 The heaues in height, and the earth in deepenes, and the Kings heart can no man search out.
3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4 Take the drosse from the siluer, and there shall proceede a vessell for the finer.
4 Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner.
5 Take away the wicked from the King, and his throne shall be stablished in righteousnes.
5 Take away the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Boast not thy selfe before 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 it is better, that it be saide vnto thee, Come vp hither, then thou to be put lower in the presece of the prince whom thine eyes haue seene.
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 Goe not foorth hastily to strife, least thou know not what to doe in the ende thereof, when thy neighbour 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 matter with thy neighbour, and discouer not the secret to another,
9 Debate your case with your neighbor, and don’t betray the confidence of another,
10 Least he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamie doe not cease.
10 lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart.
11 A word spoken in his place, is like apples of golde with pictures of siluer.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
12 He that reprooueth the wise, and the obedient eare, is as a golden earering and an ornament of fine golde.
12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.
13 As the colde of the snowe in the time of haruest, so is a faithfull messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soule 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 A man that boasteth of false liberalitie, is like cloudes and winde without raine.
14 As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.
15 A Prince is pacified by staying of anger, and a soft tongue breaketh the bones.
15 By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 If thou haue found hony, eate that is sufficient for thee, least thou be ouerfull, 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 Withdrawe thy foote from thy neighbours house, least 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 witnes against his neighbour, is like an hammer and a sword, and a sharpe arrowe.
18 A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an vnfaythfull man in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth and a sliding foote.
19 Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a lame foot.
20 Hee that taketh away the garment in the colde season, is like vineger powred vpon nitre, or like him that singeth songs to an heauy 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 hee that hateth thee be hungry, giue him bread to eate, and if he be thirstie, giue him water to drinke.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For thou shalt lay coles vpon his head, and the Lord shall recompense thee.
22 for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and Yahweh will reward you.
23 As the Northwinde driueth away the raine, so doeth an angry countenance the slandering tongue.
23 The north wind produces rain; so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face.
24 It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, then 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 are the colde waters to a weary soule, so is good newes from a farre countery.
25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 A righteous man falling downe before the wicked, is like a troubled well, and a corrupt spring.
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 eate much hony: so to search their owne glory is not glory.
27 It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.
28 A man that refraineth not his appetite, is like a citie which is broken downe and without walles.
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)