Hezekiah’s Collection

1These too are proverbs of Solomon,a

which the men of Hezekiah,b king of Judah, copied.

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matterc

and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.

3As the heaven is high and the earth is deep,

so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.

4Remove impurities from silver,d

and a vessel will be producede for a silversmith.f

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

and his throne will be established in righteousness.h

6Don’t brag about yourself before the king,

and don’t stand in the place of the great;

7for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here! ”

than to demote you in plain view of a noble.i, j

8Don’t take a matter to court hastily.k

Otherwise, what will you do afterward

if your opponentl humiliates you?

9Make your case with your opponentm

without revealing another’s secret;n

10otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,

and you’ll never live it down.o

11A word spoken at the right time

is like gold apples on a silver tray.p, q

12A wise correction to a receptive earr

is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.

13To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger

is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;

he refreshes the life of his masters.s

14The man who boasts about a gift that does not exist

is like clouds and wind without rain.t

15A ruler can be persuaded through patience,

and a gentle tongue can break a bone.u

16If you find honey,v eat only what you need;

otherwise, you’ll get sick from it and vomit.w

17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house;

otherwise, he’ll get sick of you and hate you.

18A man giving false testimony against his neighborx

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

19Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time

is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.z

20Singing songs to a troubled heart

is like taking off clothing on a cold day

or like pouring vinegar on soda.aa, ab

21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,

and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;ac

22for you will heap burning coals on his head,

and the LORD will reward you.ad

23The north wind produces rain,

and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

24Better to live on the corner of a roof

than to share a house with a nagging wife.ae

25Good news from a distant land

is like cold water to a parched throat.af, ag

26A righteous person who yields to the wickedah

is like a muddied spring or a polluted well.ai

27It is not good to eat too much honeyaj

or to seek glory after glory.ak, al

28A man who does not control his temperam

is like a city whose wall is broken down.an