Study Desk

These too are proverbs of Solomon,^(a) which the men of Hezekiah,^(b) king of Judah, copied.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter^(c) and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.

As the heaven is high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.

Remove impurities from silver,^(d) and a vessel will be produced^[a] for a silversmith.^(e)

Remove the wicked from the king's presence,^(f) and his throne will be established in righteousness.^(g)

Don't brag about yourself before the king, and don't stand in the place of the great;

for it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here!" than to demote you in plain view of a noble.^[b](h)

Don't take a matter to court hastily.⁽ⁱ⁾ Otherwise, what will you do afterward if your opponent^[c] humiliates you?

Make your case with your opponent^[d] without revealing another's secret;^(j)

otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you, and you'll never live it down.^[e]

A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples on a silver tray.^[f](k)

A wise correction to a receptive ear^(l) is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.

To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day; he refreshes the life of his masters.^(m)

The man who boasts about a gift that does not exist is like clouds and wind without rain.⁽ⁿ⁾

A ruler can be persuaded through patience, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.^(o)

If you find honey,^(p) eat only what you need; otherwise, you'll get sick from it and vomit.^(q)

Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house; otherwise, he'll get sick of you and hate you.

A man giving false testimony against his neighbor^(r) is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.^(s)

Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.^(t)

Singing songs to a troubled heart is like taking off clothing on a cold day or like pouring vinegar on soda.^[g](u)

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;^(v)

for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.^(w)

The north wind produces rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

Better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a nagging wife.^(x)

Good news from a distant land is like cold water to a parched throat.^[h](y)

A righteous person who yields to the wicked^(z) is like a muddied spring or a polluted well.^(aa)

It is not good to eat too much honey^(ab) or to seek glory after glory.^[i](ac)

A man who does not control his temper^(ad) is like a city whose wall is broken down.^(ae)