25:1

גַּם־אֵלֶּה מִשְׁלֵי שְׁלֹמֹה אֲשֶׁר הֶעְתִּיקוּ אַנְשֵׁי חִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה׃

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

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25:2

כְּבֹד אֱלֹהִים הַסְתֵּר דָּבָר וּכְבֹד מְלָכִים חֲקֹר דָּבָר׃

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

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25:3

שָׁמַיִם לָרוּם וָאָרֶץ לָעֹמֶק וְלֵב מְלָכִים אֵין חֵקֶר׃

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

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25:4

הָגוֹ סִיגִים מִכָּסֶף וַיֵּצֵא לַצֹּרֵף כֶּלִי׃

Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner;

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25:5

הָגוֹ רָשָׁע לִפְנֵי־מֶלֶךְ וְיִכּוֹן בַּצֶּדֶק כִּסְאוֹ׃

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

25:6

אַל־תִּתְהַדַּר לִפְנֵי־מֶלֶךְ וּבִמְקוֹם גְּדֹלִים אַל־תַּעֲמֹד׃

Glorify not thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men;

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25:7

כִּי טוֹב אֲמָר־לְךָ עֲ‍לֵה הֵנָּה מֵהַשְׁפִּילְךָ לִפְנֵי נָדִיב אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ׃

For better is it that it be said unto thee: ‘Come up hither’, than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes have seen.

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25:8

אַל־תֵּצֵא לָרִב מַהֵר פֶּן מַה־תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּאַחֲרִיתָהּ בְּהַכְלִים אֹתְךָ רֵעֶךָ׃

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

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25:9

רִיבְךָ רִיב אֶת־רֵעֶךָ וְסוֹד אַחֵר אַל־תְּגָל׃

Debate thy cause with thy neighbour, but reveal not the secret of another;

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25:10

פֶּן־יְחַסֶּדְךָ שֹׁמֵעַ וְדִבָּתְךָ לֹא תָשׁוּב׃

Lest he that heareth it revile thee, and thine infamy turn not away.

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25:11

תַּפּוּחֵי זָהָב בְּמַשְׂכִּיּוֹת כָּסֶף דָּבָר דָּבֻר עַל־אָפְנָיו׃

A word fitly spoken Is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

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25:12

נֶזֶם זָהָב וַחֲלִי־כָתֶם מוֹכִיחַ חָכָם עַל־אֹזֶן שֹׁמָעַת׃

As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

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25:13

כְּצִנַּת־שֶׁלֶג בְּיוֹם קָצִיר צִיר נֶאֱמָן לְשֹׁלְחָיו וְנֶפֶשׁ אֲדֹנָיו יָשִׁיב׃

As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, So is a faithful messenger to him that sendeth him; For he refresheth the soul of his master. .

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25:14

נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ וְגֶשֶׁם אָיִן אִישׁ מִתְהַלֵּל בְּמַתַּת־שָׁקֶר׃

As vapours and wind without rain, So is he that boasteth himself of a false gift.

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25:15

בְּאֹרֶךְ אַפַּיִם יְפֻתֶּה קָצִין וְלָשׁוֹן רַכָּה תִּשְׁבָּר־גָּרֶם׃

By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

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25:16

דְּבַשׁ מָצָאתָ אֱכֹל דַּיֶּךָּ פֶּן־תִּשְׂבָּעֶנּוּ וַהֲקֵאתוֹ׃

Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

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25:17

הֹקַר רַגְלְךָ מִבֵּית רֵעֶךָ פֶּן־יִשְׂבָּעֲךָ וּשְׂנֵאֶךָ׃

Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour’s house; Lest he be sated with thee, and hate thee.

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25:18

מֵפִיץ וְחֶרֶב וְחֵץ שָׁנוּן אִישׁ עֹנֶה בְרֵעֵהוּ עֵד שָׁקֶר׃

As a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, So is a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour.

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25:19

שֵׁן רֹעָה וְרֶגֶל מוּעָדֶת מִבְטָח בּוֹגֵד בְּיוֹם צָרָה׃

Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

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25:20

מַעֲדֶה בֶּגֶד בְּיוֹם קָרָה חֹמֶץ עַל־נָתֶר וְשָׁר בַּשִּׁרִים עַל לֶב־רָע׃

As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.

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25:21

אִם־רָעֵב שֹׂנַאֲךָ הַאֲכִלֵהוּ לָחֶם וְאִם־צָמֵא הַשְׁקֵהוּ מָיִם׃

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat, And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;

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25:22

כִּי גֶחָלִים אַתָּה חֹתֶה עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וַיהוָה יְשַׁלֶּם־לָךְ׃

For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD will reward thee.

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25:23

רוּחַ צָפוֹן תְּחוֹלֵל גָּשֶׁם וּפָנִים נִזְעָמִים לְשׁוֹן סָתֶר׃

The north wind bringeth forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

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25:24

טוֹב שֶׁבֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּג מֵאֵשֶׁת מדונים [מִדְיָנִים] וּבֵית חָבֶר׃

It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than in a house in common with a contentious woman.

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25:25

מַיִם קָרִים עַל־נֶפֶשׁ עֲיֵפָה וּשְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק׃

As cold waters to a faint soul, So is good news from a far country.

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25:26

מַעְיָן נִרְפָּשׂ וּמָקוֹר מָשְׁחָת צַדִּיק מָט לִפְנֵי־רָשָׁע׃

As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.

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25:27

אָכֹל דְּבַשׁ הַרְבּוֹת לֹא־טוֹב וְחֵקֶר כְּבֹדָם כָּבוֹד׃

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

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25:28

עִיר פְּרוּצָה אֵין חוֹמָה אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אֵין מַעְצָר לְרוּחוֹ׃

Like a city broken down and without a wall, So is he whose spirit is without restraint.