1 Dit is ook spreuke van Salomo, wat die manne van Hisk¡a, die koning van Juda, versamel het.
2 Dit is die eer van God om 'n saak te verberg, maar die eer van konings om 'n saak na te speur.
3 Die hoogte van die hemele en die diepte van die aarde en die hart van die konings is ondeurgrondelik.
4 Verwyder jy die skuim uit die silwer, dan sal daar vir die silwersmid 'n voorwerp uitkom;
5 verwyder die goddelose voor die koning weg, dan sal sy troon deur geregtigheid bevestig word.
6 Pronk nie voor die koning nie, en staan nie op die plek van die grotes nie.
7 Want dit is beter dat vir jou gesê word: Kom op hierheen! -- as dat jy verneder word voor 'n edele wat jou oë gesien het.
8 Gaan nie haastig uit om te twis nie; anders, wat sal jy ten slotte doen as jou naaste jou in die skande steek?
9 Verdedig jou saak teen jou naaste, maar openbaar 'n ander se geheim nie,
10 sodat een wat dit hoor, jou nie beskimp en jou slegte gerug nie ophou nie.
11 Goue appels op versierde silwerborde, so is 'n woord op sy tyd gespreek.
12 'n Wyse bestraffer by 'n oor wat luister, is 'n goue ring en 'n goue sieraad.
13 Soos die verkoeling van sneeu op 'n oesdag, is 'n betroubare boodskapper vir sy senders; want hy verkwik die siel van sy heer.
14 'n Man wat hom beroem op 'n geskenk wat hy tog nie gee nie, is soos dampe en wind waar geen reënbui by is nie.
15 Deur lankmoedigheid word 'n vors oorgehaal, en 'n sagte tong verbreek die gebeente.
16 Het jy heuning gevind, eet tot jy genoeg het, sodat jy daar nie sat van word en dit uitspuug nie.
17 Sit jou voet selde in jou naaste se huis, sodat hy nie van jou genoeg kry en jou haat nie.
18 'n Knopkierie en 'n swaard en 'n skerp pyl, so is 'n man wat teen sy naaste as valse getuie optree.
19 'n Slegte tand en 'n voet wat swik, so is die vertroue op 'n ontroue in die dag van benoudheid.
20 Soos een wat 'n kleed uittrek op 'n koue dag, soos asyn op loog, so is een wat 'n bedroefde hart met liedere verwelkom.
21 As jou vyand honger het, gee hom brood om te eet; en as hy dors het, gee hom water om te drink.
22 Want jy hoop gloeiende kole op sy hoof, en die HERE sal jou dit vergelde.
23 Die noordewind bring 'n reënbui voort, en die tong wat agteraf praat -- kwaai gesigte.
24 Om te woon op die hoek van 'n dak, is beter as by 'n twisgierige vrou en 'n gemeenskaplike huis.
25 Koue water op 'n vermoeide siel, so is 'n goeie tyding uit 'n ver land.
26 'n Troebel fontein en 'n vuile bron, so is die regverdige wat wankel voor die goddelose.
27 Om baie heuning te eet, is nie goed nie, maar om swaar sake na te speur, is 'n eer.
28 'n Afgebreekte stad sonder muur, so is 'n man wat sy gees nie kan inhou nie.
1 These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
2 It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.
3 The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.
4 Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.
5 Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.
6 Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great:
7 For it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler.
8 Do not be quick to go to law about what you have seen, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbour has put you to shame?
9 Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:
10 Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.
11 A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.
12 Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master.
14 As clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.
15 A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.
16 If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.
17 Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.
18 One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow.
19 Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot.
20 Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad heart.
21 If your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water:
22 For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward.
23 As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.
24 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.
25 As cold water to a tired soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers.
27 It is not good to take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured.
28 He whose spirit is uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into.