top Proverbs ch 25
Greek: Septuagint (LXX)
English: John Barach
Proverbs 25: The Hidden Glory of Kings and the Soft Tongue
The Mystery of Authority
1 Αὗται αἱ παιδεῖαι Σαλωμῶντος αἱ ἀδιάκριτοι, ἃς ἐξεγράψαντο οἱ φίλοι Ἐζεκίου τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς Ἰουδαίας. 25.1 These are the undisputed instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Hezekiah, king of Judea, transcribed.
2 Δόξα θεοῦ κρύπτει λόγον, δόξα δὲ βασιλέως τιμᾷ πράγματα. 3 οὐρανὸς ὑψηλός, γῆ δὲ βαθεῖα, καρδία δὲ βασιλέως ἀνεξέλεγκτος. 4 τύπτε ἀδόκιμον ἀργύριον, καὶ καθαρισθήσεται καθαρὸν ἅπαν· 5 κτεῖνε ἀσεβεῖς ἐκ προσώπου βασιλέως, καὶ κατορθώσει ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ὁ θρόνος αὐτοῦ. 25.2 The glory of God conceals a word, but the glory of a king honors affairs. 25.3 Heaven is high, and the earth is deep, but the heart of a king is unsearchable. 25.4 Beat the dross-filled silver, and it shall be entirely purified; 25.5 kill the ungodly from the presence of the king, and his throne shall be set straight in righteousness.
Conduct in the Court
6 Μὴ ἀλαζονεύου ἐνώπιον βασιλέως μηδὲ ἐν τόποις δυναστῶν ὑφίστασο· 7 κρεῖσσον γάρ σοί τὸ ῥηθῆναι, ἀνάβαινε πρός με, ἢ ταπεινῶσαί σὲ ἐν προσώπῳ δυνάστου. ἃ εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου, λέγε. 25.6 Do not be a boaster before the king, nor stand in the places of rulers; 25.7 for it is better for it to be said to you, "Come up to me," than for you to be humbled in the presence of a ruler. Speak of the things your eyes have seen.
8 Μὴ πρόσπιπτε εἰς μάχην ταχέως, ἵνα μὴ μεταμεληθῇς ἐπ' ἐσχάτων. ἡνίκα ἄν σὲ ὀνειδίσῃ ὁ σὸς φίλος, 9 ἀναχώρει εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, μὴ καταφρόνει, 10 μή σὲ ὀνειδίσῃ μὲν ὁ φίλος, ἡ δὲ μάχη σου καὶ ἡ ἔχθρα οὐκ ἀπέσται, ἀλλ' ἔσται σοί ἴση θανάτῳ. 10a χάρις καὶ φιλία ἐλευθεροῖ, ἃς τήρησον σεαυτῷ, ἵνα μὴ ἐπονείδιστος γένῃ, ἀλλὰ φύλαξον τὰς ὁδούς σου εὐσυναλλάκτως. 25.8 Do not fall into a fight quickly, lest you regret it at the last. 25.9 Whenever your friend reproaches you, withdraw yourself backward, do not show contempt; 25.10 lest the friend reproach you, and your fight and enmity shall not depart, but shall be like death to you. 25.10a Grace and friendship set one free; keep these for yourself so that you do not become a reproach, but guard your ways with good-naturedness.
The Beauty of Seasoned Speech
11 Μῆλον χρυσοῦν ἐν ὁρμίσκῳ σαρδίου, οὕτως εἰπεῖν λόγον. 12 εἰς ἐνώτιον χρυσοῦν σάρδιον πολυτελὲς δέδεται, λόγος σοφὸς εἰς εὐήκοον οὖς. 13 ὥσπερ ἔξοδος χιόνος ἐν ἀμήτῳ κατὰ καῦμα ὠφελεῖ, οὕτως ἄγγελος πιστὸς τοὺς ἀποστείλαντας αὐτόν· ψυχὰς γὰρ τῶν αὐτῷ χρωμένων ὠφελεῖ. 25.11 A golden apple in a necklace of sardius—so it is to speak a word. 25.12 As a golden earring, a costly sardius is fastened—so is a wise word to an obedient ear. 25.13 As a fall of snow in harvest-time is beneficial against the heat, so is a faithful messenger to those who sent him; for he benefits the souls of those who employ him.
14 Ὥσπερ ἄνεμοι καὶ νέφη καὶ ὑετοὶ ἐπιφανέστατοι, οὕτως οἱ καυχώμενοι ἐπὶ δόσει ψεύδει. 15 ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ εὐοδία βασιλεῦσιν, γλῶσσα δὲ μαλακὴ συντρίβει ὀστᾶ. 16 μέλι εὑρὼν φάγε τὸ ἱκανόν, μήποτε πλησθεὶς ἐξεμέσῃς. 17 σπάνιον εἴσαγε σὸν πόδα πρὸς τὸν σεαυτοῦ φίλον, μήποτε πλησθείς σου μισήσῃ σε. 18 ῥόπαλον καὶ μάχαιρα καὶ τόξευμα ἀκιδωτόν, οὕτως καὶ ἀνὴρ ὁ καταμαρτυρῶν τοῦ φίλου αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ. 19 ὁδοὺς1 κακοῦ καὶ ποὺς παρανόμου ὀλεῖται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῇ. 25.14 As winds and clouds and very conspicuous rains, so are those who boast of a lying gift. 25.15 By long-suffering is the path made easy for kings, and a soft tongue breaks bones. 25.16 Having found honey, eat only what is sufficient, lest being overfilled you vomit it up. 25.17 Introduce your foot sparingly to your own friend, lest being overfilled with you, he should hate you. 25.18 A club, and a sword, and a pointed arrow—so also is a man who bears false witness against his friend. 25.19 The ways of the evil and the foot of the lawless shall perish in an evil day.
Conflict and Character
20 Ὥσπερ ὄξος ἕλκει ἀσύμφορον, οὕτως προσπεσὸν πάθος ἐν σώματι καρδίαν λυπεῖ. 20a ὥσπερ σὴς ἱματίῳ καὶ σκώληξ ξύλῳ, οὕτως λύπη ἀνδρὸς βλάπτει καρδίαν. 25.20 As vinegar is harmful to a wound, so an affliction falling on the body grieves the heart. 20a As a moth in a garment and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man harms the heart.
21 Ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, τρέφε αὐτόν, ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· 22 τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ κύριος ἀνταποδώσει σοί ἀγαθά. 25.21 If your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink; 25.22 for doing this, you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will repay you with good things.
23 ἄνεμος βορέας ἐξεγείρει νέφη, πρόσωπον δὲ ἀναιδὲς γλῶσσαν ἐρεθίζει. 24 κρεῖττον οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ γωνίας δώματος ἢ μετὰ γυναικὸς λοιδόρου ἐν οἰκίᾳ κοινῇ. 25 ὥσπερ ὕδωρ ψυχρὸν ψυχῇ διψώσῃ προσηνές, οὕτως ἀγγελία ἀγαθὴ ἐκ γῆς μακρόθεν. 26 ὥσπερ εἴ τις πηγὴν φράσσοι καὶ ὕδατος ἔξοδον λυμαίνοιτο οὕτως ἄκοσμον δίκαιον πεπτωκέναι πεπτωκέναι ἐνώπιον ἀσεβοῦς. 27 ἐσθίειν μέλι πολὺ οὐ καλόν, τιμᾶν δὲ χρὴ λόγους ἐνδόξους. 28 ὥσπερ πόλις τὰ τείχη καταβεβλημένη καὶ ἀτείχιστος, οὕτως ἀνὴρ ὃς οὐ μετὰ βουλῆς τι πράσσει. 25.23 A north wind stirs up clouds, and an impudent face provokes the tongue. 25.24 It is better to dwell in a corner of the roof than with a slandering woman in a shared house. 25.25 As cold water is pleasant to a thirsty soul, so is a good report from a distant land. 25.26 As if one should block a spring and ruin a source of water, so it is unseemly for a righteous man to have fallen before the ungodly. 25.27 To eat much honey is not good, but it is necessary to honor glorious words. 25.28 As a city with its walls torn down and unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.