¹ These are also proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

² The glory of God is to hide a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.

³ The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, but the heart of kings is without searching.

⁴ Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the refiner.

⁵ Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be founded in righteousness.

⁶ Do not put yourself forth in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of the great;

⁷ for it is better that it should be said to you, Come up here, than that you should be put lower in the presence of a noble whom your eyes have seen.

⁸ Do not go forth quickly to fight, lest you know not what to do in the end of it, when your neighbor has put you to shame.

⁹ Debate your cause with your neighbor; and do not uncover a secret to another,

¹⁰ lest he who hears it put you to shame, and your evil report turn not away.

¹¹ A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

¹² As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon a hearing ear.

¹³ Like cold snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to his senders; for he makes return to his master's soul.

¹⁴ A man boasting himself in a false gift is like clouds and wind, but no rain.

¹⁵ In being slow to anger a ruler is won over, and a soft tongue breaks the bone.

¹⁶ Have you found honey? Eat only as much as is enough for you, lest you be filled with it and vomit it.

¹⁷ Withdraw your foot from your neighbor's house, lest he be weary of you and hate you.

¹⁸ A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

¹⁹ Trust in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

²⁰ As he who takes away a garment in cold weather, as vinegar upon niter, so is he who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,

²² for you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward you.

²³ The north wind drives away rain; so does an angry face a backbiting tongue.

²⁴ It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than with a quarreling woman and to share a house.

²⁵ Like cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁶ A righteous man falling down before the wicked is like a troubled fountain and a rotten spring.

²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey; so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

²⁸ He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a broken down city without a wall.