25 There are also these other proverbs from Shelomoh that the men working for Yehudah’s King Hizkiyah copied:

2 It is God’s privilege to conceal a matter,

^ and the king’s privilege to try to discover a matter.

3 The skies are high and the earth goes deep,

→ and the motives of kings are unable to be predicted.

4 Remove the dross from silver,

→ and then a container comes from the silversmith’s hands.

5 Remove the wicked person from the king’s presence,

→ and then his rule will be established as being honest and fair.

6 Don’t promote yourself in front of a king,

≈ and don’t claim a place among the well-known people,[ref]

7 because it’s better if they tell you, “Come up here,”

than to be placed lower right in front of a prince as you look at him.

8 Don’t be in a rush to take someone to court.

→ What would you do at the end, if your neighbour put you to shame?

9 Sort out your case with your neighbour,

without revealing other people’s secrets,

10 in case someone hears you and puts you to shame

and your bad reputation never gets repaired.

11 Good advice given at the right time

is like gold apples set in a silver frame.

12 A wise rebuke to a listening ear

is like a gold earring and a fine-gold ornament.

13 To those who send him, a faithful messenger

is like cool snow when doing a day’s hard work,

and it refreshes the soul of his masters.

14 A person who boasts about a gift that never comes

is like clouds and wind without rain.

15 A ruler can be persuaded by being patient,

≈ and a soft tongue can break a bone.

16 When you find honey, eat just what you need,

otherwise you might vomit if you’ve had too much.

17 Don’t set foot in your neighbour’s house too often,

in case they get fed up with you and end up hating you.

18 A man who gives a false testimony against his neighbour,

is like a club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.

19 Having confidence in someone who acts treacherously in a time of trouble,

is like having a broken tooth, or having your foot slip.

20 Taking off your coat on a cold day,

is like pouring vinegar on baking soda

or singing songs to someone who’s feeling sad.

21 Give your enemy food to eat if they’re hungry,

≈ and water to drink if they’re thirsty,

22 because you’re heaping burning coals on their head,

and Yahweh will be the one to repay you.

23 The northerly wind brings rain with it,

and a gossipping tongue brings indignant looks.

24 If better to live in the corner of an attic,

than to live inside the house with a contentious wife.

25 Good news from a distant country,

is like cool water for a tired person.

26 A godly person giving in to someone wicked,

is like a spring that gets muddied, or a well that gets ruined.

27 It isn’t good to eat too much honey,

and nor is trying to make yourself look good.

28 A person who has no self-control,

is like a city where the walls have been broken down.

26 Like snow in the summer, or rain at harvest time,

so too honour isn’t fitting for a fool.

2 Like a fluttering bird or a darting swallow,

so too an undeserved curse won’t land on you.

3 There’s a whip for the horse and a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod to beat the fool’s back.

4 Don’t answer a fool with a foolish answer,

otherwise you’ll just end up like them.

5 Answer a fool according to their foolish thinking,

so they don’t think they’re cleverer than they are.

6 Sending a fool with your message to pass on

is like cutting off your feet and drinking in violence.

7 The legs of a lame person just dangle down,

like a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Giving honour to a fool,

is like tying the stone into the sling.

9 A drunkard getting thorns in his hand,

is like a fool trying to explain a proverb.

10 Hiring a fool or an unknown passer-by,

is like an archer just randomly shooting arrows.

11 A fool who keeps doing the same foolish things,

is like a dog that returns to its vomit.[ref]

12 Do you see a person who thinks they’re clever?

There’s more hope for a fool than for that person.

13 The lazy person says, “There’s a young lion on the road.

≈ There’s a lion out there on the streets.”

14 The door turns on its hinges,

and the slacker turns in their bed.

15 The sluggard keeps their hand in the dish—

they’re too lazy to bring it back to their mouth.

16 The slacker is wiser in their own eyes,

than seven people who give good advice.

17 The person who gets angry about a quarrel that’s nothing to do with them,

is like someone grabbing the ears of a dog that’s passing by.

18-19 18-19A person who deceives their neighbour then says they were just joking

is like a madman shooting flaming arrows.

20 When there’s no more firewood, the fire goes out,

and when there’s no gossiper, a conflict dies down.

21 Like wood gets the fire burning

≈ and charcoal keeps the embers hot,

→ so too a contentious person kindles strife.

22 The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels,

and they go right down into the person’s insides.

23 Burning lips and evil motives

are like a silver overlay on a clay pot.

24 A person who hates can disguise it with their lips,

but they’re accumulating deceit inside.

25 When they say favourable things, don’t trust them,

because there’s seven detestable things in within them.

26 Hatred can be covered by deception,

→ but it will be uncovered when people gather together.

27 The person who digs a pit will fall into it,

≈ and the one who rolls a stone will have it come back on them.

28 A lying tongue despises those who are crushed by it,

^ and a flattering mouth leads to calamity.

27 Don’t boast about what will happen tomorrow,

because you don’t know what the next day will bring.[ref]

2 Let some other person praise you, rather than your own mouth—

≈ someone from out of town and not your own lips.

3 Stones are heavy, and sand weighs you down,

→ but being provoked by a fool is heavier than either of them.

4 Anger is overwhelming and rage is cruel,

→ but who can tolerate jealousy?

5 Open rebuke is better than concealed love.

6 Wounds from a friend are faithful,

^ but kisses from an enemy are confusing.

7 Honey isn’t so attractive when you’re full,

^ but even bitter food is sweet when you’re hungry.

8 A person who wanders away from their home,

is like a bird that wanders from its nest.

9 Lotions and perfumes make a person cheery,

→ but it’s so pleasant to be given good advice by a friend.

10 Don’t abandon your friends or your father’s friends,

and don’t go to your brother’s house when calamity hits you.

A friend nearby is better than a brother living a long way away.

11 My child, make me happy by becoming wise,

and then I’ll be able to answer anyone who taunts me.

12 A sensible person sees evil and stays out of sight

but naive people continue on then get punished.

13 If someone guarantees a stranger’s loan, then definitely take their coat,

or if they stand as guarantee for a foreign woman.[ref]

14 If someone blesses their neighbour using a loud voice early in the morning,

→ it will be considered as a curse.

15 A contentious woman is like a continual dripping on a rainy day,

16 Restraining her is like stopping the wind,

or like catching something oily with one hand.

17 Iron sharpens iron,

≈ and one neighbour sharpens another.

18 The caretaker of a fig tree can eat its fruit,

≈ and someone protecting his master should be honoured.

19 As water reflects your face,

so too, a person’s behaviour reflects their values.

20 The grave and destruction are never satisfied,

≈ and people’s eyes are never satisfied.

21 There’s a smelting pot for silver, and a furnace for gold,

but a person is refined by the praise they receive.

22 Even if you could pound a fool like grain in a mortar,

→ their foolishness can’t be separated from them.

23 Make sure you know the state of your flock well.

≈ Set your mind on your cattle herds,

24 because wealth doesn’t last forever,

and a crown isn’t passed down to every generation.

25 The grass dries off and then fresh grass appears,

and then the herbs are gathered from the mountains.

26 The lambs will be for your clothing,

and the male goats will become the price for a field.

27 The female goats will give enough milk for your household,

and nourishment for your servant girls.

28 The wicked run away when no one’s even chasing them,

^ but the godly person is as confident as a lion.

2 A country in rebellion has many rulers,

^ but an understanding man who know’s what’s right will last long.

3 Someone who’s poor but oppresses other poor people,

is like driving rain when you have nothing to eat.

4 Those who’ve abandoned the law, praise the wicked,

^ but those who keep the law strive against them.

5 Evil people don’t understand justice,

^ but those who strive after Yahweh, understand everything.

6 A poor person with integrity

^ is better than someone who’s rich but crooked.

7 A sensible child follows Yahweh’s instructions,

^ but those who carouse with gluttons, shame their father.

8 The person who increases their wealth by charging interest and by overcharging,

gathers it but it’ll end up going to someone who’s kind to the poor.

9 A person who turns their ear away from hearing Yahweh’s instructions,

→ even their prayers are detestable.

10 The one who leads good people astray will fall into their own pit,

^ but those who are blameless will inherit good.

11 Rich people see themself as wise,

^ but a poor person with understanding, sees right through them.

12 When godly people triumph, there’s great celebration,

^ but when it’s the wicked, people hide.

13 Someone covering their faults won’t prosper,

^ but the one who confesses and then abandons their bad behaviour, will be shown mercy.

14 The person who strives to allows obey Yahweh will be blessed,

^ but the one who firmly resists will fall into trouble.

15 A wicked ruler over struggling people,

is like a lion roaring or a bear attacking.

16 A ruler lacking understanding can become an oppressor.

The person who hates dishonest gain will have a longer life.

17 A man tormented by the killing of another will flee to the pit.

Don’t let anyone support him.

18 The person with blameless behaviour will be rescued,

^ but the crooked one will suddenly fall.

19 The person working their land will have enough food,

^ but those wasting their time will have their fill of poverty.

20 A faithful person will have great blessing,

^ but the one trying to get rich quick won’t go unpunished.

21 It’s not good to show partiality,

yet a person will break the rules for a piece of bread.

22 Those who rush to get wealthy are greedy,

^ but they don’t realise that poverty will come to them.

23 If you correct another person, you’ll be appreciated in the end

more than someone who just says what they wanted to hear.

24 People who rob their parents and say they’ve done nothing wrong

are in the same class as those who are destructive.

25 Greedy people stir up strife,

^ but the one who trusts Yahweh will prosper.

26 The person who trusts their own plans is a fool,

^ but the one who walks with wisdom will be rescued.

27 Those who give to the poor will have all they need,

^ but the one who just looks away will receive many curses.

28 When wicked people come to power, everyone hides,

^ but when they die, godly people increase.

29 The person who gets rebuked but just stiffens their neck,

will be broken suddenly and beyond recovery.

2 When it’s the godly ones who increase, the people are happy,

^ but when it’s the wicked, a nation groans.

3 Those who love wisdom, make their parents glad,

^ but the one who spends time with prostitutes, destroys wealth.

4 A king establishes the country with justice,

^ but one who accepts bribes, tears it down.

5 Someone who flatters their neighbour

is spreading out a net to capture them.

6 The disobedience of an evil person will trap them,

^ but the godly person sings and celebrates.

7 A godly person understands the poor person’s court case,

^ but the wicked person doesn’t understand knowledge.

8 Mockers inflame a city,

^ but wise people deflect anger.

9 If a wise person takes a fool to court,

then there’ll be rage and ridicule, but no resolution.

10 People who’ve killed hate those who are blameless,

^ but good citizens try to protect them .

11 The fool vents all their anger,

^ but a wise person holds it back.

12 A ruler who pays attention to lies,

will only have wicked officials.

13 A poor person and someone who’s oppressed have lots in common

^ but it’s Yahweh who gives hope to both of them.

14 A king who judges the poor fairly,

will always rule securely.

15 A scolding and a spanking give wisdom,

^ but an undisciplined child will bring shame to their mother.

16 When the wicked increase, crime increases,

^ but those who do what’s right will live to see their downfall.

17 Discipline your child and you’ll be able to relax,

and they’ll bring you happiness.

18 When there’s no vision, the people have no boundaries,

^ but those who follow Yahweh’s instructions will be happy.

19 A servant can’t be corrected just with words,

because even if they understand, they won’t answer.

20 If a person is quick to speak out,

there’s more hope for a fool than for them.

21 Someone who’s pampered their servants since they were young,

can only expect insolence in the end.

22 An angry person stirs up strife,

and someone who rages causes big trouble.

23 A person’s pride will bring them down,

^ but a humble person will be honoured.

24 Someone who helps a thief, hates their own life.

They take the oath yet refuse to testify.

25 A person’s fear becomes a trap,

^ but the one who trusts Yahweh will be kept safe.

26 Many people want to plead to the ruler,

^ but it’s Yahweh who gives a person justice.

27 those who do what’s right detest corrupt people,

^ but on the other hand, the wicked detest good citizens.