1 Also these be the Parables of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, translated.
2 The glory of God is to cover a word; and the glory of kings is to seek out a word. (The glory of God be those things which he hath hidden; and the glory of kings is to search them out.)
3 Heaven above, and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable. (The heavens be above, and the earth is beneath, and a king’s heartis unsearchable.)
4 Do thou away rust from silver, and a full clean vessel shall go out.
5 Do thou away unpiety from the cheer of the king (or Take thou away wicked persons from before the king), and his throne shall be made steadfast by rightfulness.
6 Appear thou not glorious before the king, and stand thou not in the place of great men.
7 For it is better, that it be said to thee, Ascend thou hither (or Come thou up here), than that thou be made low before the prince.
8 Bring thou not forth soon those things in strife, which thine eyes saw; lest afterward thou mayest not amend, when thou hast made thy friend unhonest. (Bring thou not soon forth those things in strife, or an argument, which thine eyes saw; lest afterward thou cannot correct it, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.)
9 Treat thy cause with thy friend, and show thou not (a) private (matter) to a strange man;
10 lest peradventure he have joy of thy fall (or lest perhaps he have joy over thy fall), when he hath heard (of it), and cease not to do shame to thee.
11 (As) A golden pommel in beds of silver is he, that speaketh a word in his time. (Like a golden apple in beds of silver, is a word spoken at its proper time.)
12 (As) A golden earring, and a shining pearl is he, that reproveth a wise man, and an ear obeying. (Like a golden earring, and a shining pearl, is a wise person who rebuketh someone with an obedient ear.)
13 As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, so a faithful messenger to him that sent him, maketh his soul to have rest. (Like the cold of snow on the day of harvest, is a faithful messenger to him who sent him, for he maketh his soul to have rest.)
14 (As) A cloud and wind, and (then) rain not following, is a glorious man, and not ful filling promises. (Like a cloud and wind, but then rain not following, is a honourable person who fulfilleth not his promises.)
15 A prince shall be made soft by patience; and a soft tongue shall break hardness.
16 Thou hast found honey, eat thou (only) that that sufficeth to thee; lest peradventure thou be (over-)filled, and spew it out.
17 Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour; lest sometime he be filled (of thee), that is, annoyed (by thee), and hate thee.
18 (Like) A dart, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, (is) a man that speaketh false witnessing against his neighbour.