Prov 25-28
PROVERBS 25
1 ¶ These [are] also 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 honour of kings [is] to search out a matter.
3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings [is] unsearchable.
4 ¶ Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Take away the wicked [from] before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 ¶ Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great [men]:
7 For better [it is] 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.
8 ¶ Go not forth hastily to strive, lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour [himself]; and discover not a secret to another:
10 Lest he that heareth [it] put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.
11 ¶ A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in pictures of silver.
12 [As] an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [so is] a wise reprover upon 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.
14 ¶ Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift [is like] clouds and wind without rain.
15 ¶ By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 ¶ Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17 ¶ Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and [so] hate thee.
18 ¶ A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour [is] a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 ¶ Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 ¶ [As] he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre, so [is] he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
21 ¶ If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
23 ¶ The north wind driveth away rain: so [doth] an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 ¶ [It is] better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 ¶ [As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, so [is] good news from a far country.
26 ¶ A righteous man falling down before the wicked [is as] a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 ¶ [It is] not good to eat much honey: so [for men] to search their own glory [is not] glory.
28 ¶ He that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls.
PROVERBS 26
1 ¶ As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
2 ¶ As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
3 ¶ A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
4 ¶ Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 ¶ He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, [and] drinketh damage.
7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so [is] a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so [is] he that giveth honour to a fool.
9 [As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so [is] a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 ¶ The great [God] that formed all [things] both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
11 ¶ As a dog returneth to his vomit, [so] a fool returneth to his folly.
12 ¶ Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? [there is] more hope of a fool than of him.
13 ¶ The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion in the way; a lion [is] in the streets.
14 ¶ [As] the door turneth upon his hinges, so [doth] the slothful upon his bed.
15 ¶ The slothful hideth his hand in [his] bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 ¶ The sluggard [is] wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
17 ¶ He that passeth by, [and] meddleth with strife [belonging] not to him, [is like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 ¶ As a mad [man] who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So [is] the man [that] deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
20 ¶ Where no wood is, [there] the fire goeth out: so where [there is] no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 [As] coals [are] to burning coals, and wood to fire; so [is] a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 ¶ Burning lips and a wicked heart [are like] a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 ¶ He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for [there are] seven abominations in his heart.
26 [Whose] hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the [whole] congregation.
27 ¶ Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
28 ¶ A lying tongue hateth [those that are] afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
PROVERBS 27
1 ¶ Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 ¶ Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 ¶ A stone [is] heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath [is] heavier than them both.
4 Wrath [is] cruel, and anger [is] outrageous; but who [is] able to stand before envy?
5 ¶ Open rebuke [is] better than secret love.
6 Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful.
7 ¶ The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 ¶ As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so [is] a man that wandereth from his place.
9 ¶ Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so [doth] the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: [for] better [is] a neighbour [that is] near than a brother far off.
11 ¶ My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 ¶ A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [but] the simple pass on, [and] are punished.
13 ¶ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
14 ¶ He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 ¶ A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, [which] bewrayeth [itself].
17 ¶ Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 ¶ Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 ¶ As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man.
20 ¶ Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 ¶ [As] the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so [is] a man to his praise.
22 ¶ Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, [yet] will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 ¶ Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds.
24 For riches [are] not for ever: and doth the crown [endure] to every generation?
25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 The lambs [are] for thy clothing, and the goats [are] the price of the field.
27 And [thou shalt have] goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] the maintenance for thy maidens.
PROVERBS 28
1 ¶ The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 ¶ For the transgression of a land many [are] the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding [and] knowledge the state [thereof] shall be prolonged.
3 ¶ A poor man that oppresseth the poor [is like] a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
4 ¶ They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
5 ¶ Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all [things].
6 ¶ Better [is] the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than [he that is] perverse [in his] ways, though he [be] rich.
7 ¶ Whoso keepeth the law [is] a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous [men] shameth his father.
8 ¶ He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
9 ¶ He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer [shall be] abomination.
10 ¶ Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good [things] in possession.
11 ¶ The rich man [is] wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
12 ¶ When righteous [men] do rejoice, [there is] great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.
13 ¶ He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.
14 ¶ Happy [is] the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
15 ¶ [As] a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; [so is] a wicked ruler over the poor people.
16 ¶ The prince that wanteth understanding [is] also a great oppressor: [but] he that hateth covetousness shall prolong [his] days.
17 ¶ A man that doeth violence to the blood of [any] person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.
18 ¶ Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but [he that is] perverse [in his] ways shall fall at once.
19 ¶ He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain [persons] shall have poverty enough.
20 ¶ A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
21 ¶ To have respect of persons [is] not good: for for a piece of bread [that] man will transgress.
22 ¶ He that hasteth to be rich [hath] an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
23 ¶ He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.
24 ¶ Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, [It is] no transgression; the same [is] the companion of a destroyer.
25 ¶ He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.
26 ¶ He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
27 ¶ He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
28 ¶ When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.
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