Proverbs Chapter 25

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias, king of Juda, copied out.

2 It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.
3 The heaven above and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel:
5 Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.
6 Appear not glorious before the king, and stand not in the place of great men.
7 For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.

8 The things which thy eyes have seen, utter not hastily in a quarrel: lest afterward thou mayst not be able to make amends, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.
9 Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:
10 Lest he insult over thee, when he hath heard it, and cease not to upbraid thee. Grace and friendship deliver a man: keep these for thyself, lest thou fall under reproach.
11 To speak a word in due time, is like apples of gold on beds of silver.
12 As an earring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he that reproveth the wise, and the obedient ear.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sent him, for he refresheth his soul.
14 As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfil his promises.
15 By patience a prince shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.

16 Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.
17 Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.
19 To trust in an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,
20 And one that looseth his garment in cold weather. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a very evil heart. As a moth doth by a garment, and a worm by the wood: so the sadness of a man consumeth the heart.
21 If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat: if he thirst, give him water to drink:
22 For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.
23 The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop: than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.
25 As cold water to a thirsty soul, so are good tidings from a far country.
26 A just man falling down before the wicked, is as a fountain troubled with the foot and a corrupted spring.
27 As it is not good for a man to eat much honey, so he that is a searcher of majesty shall be overwhelmed by glory. Majesty... Viz., of God. For to search into that incomprehensible Majesty, and to pretend to sound the depths of the wisdom of God, is exposing our weak understanding to be blinded with an excess of light and glory, which it cannot comprehend.
28 As a city that lieth open and is not compassed with walls, so is a man that cannot refrain his own spirit in speaking.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Hæ quoque parabolæ Salomonis, quas transtulerunt viri Ezechiæ regis Juda.

2 Gloria Dei est celare verbum,
et gloria regum investigare sermonem.
3 Cælum sursum, et terra deorsum,
et cor regum inscrutabile.
4 Aufer rubiginem de argento,
et egredietur vas purissimum.
5 Aufer impietatem de vultu regis,
et firmabitur justitia thronus ejus.
6 Ne gloriosus appareas coram rege,
et in loco magnorum ne steteris.
7 Melius est enim ut dicatur tibi: Ascende huc,
quam ut humilieris coram principe.

8 Quæ viderunt oculi tui ne proferas in jurgio cito,
ne postea emendare non possis,
cum dehonestaveris amicum tuum.
9 Causam tuam tracta cum amico tuo,
et secretum extraneo ne reveles:
10 ne forte insultet tibi cum audierit,
et exprobrare non cesset.
Gratia et amicitia liberant:
quas tibi serva, ne exprobrabilis fias.
11 Mala aurea in lectis argenteis,
qui loquitur verbum in tempore suo.
12 Inauris aurea, et margaritum fulgens,
qui arguit sapientem et aurem obedientem.
13 Sicut frigus nivis in die messis,
ita legatus fidelis ei qui misit eum:
animam ipsius requiescere facit.
14 Nubes, et ventus, et pluviæ non sequentes,
vir gloriosus et promissa non complens.
15 Patientia lenietur princeps,
et lingua mollis confringet duritiam.

16 Mel invenisti: comede quod sufficit tibi,
ne forte satiatus evomas illud.
17 Subtrahe pedem tuum de domo proximi tui,
nequando satiatus oderit te.
18 Jaculum, et gladius, et sagitta acuta,
homo qui loquitur contra proximum suum falsum testimonium.
19 Dens putridus, et pes lassus,
qui sperat super infideli in die angustiæ,
20 et amittit pallium in die frigoris.
Acetum in nitro,
qui cantat carmina cordi pessimo.
Sicut tinea vestimento, et vermis ligno,
ita tristitia viri nocet cordi.
21 Si esurierit inimicus tuus, ciba illum;
si sitierit, da ei aquam bibere:
22 prunas enim congregabis super caput ejus,
et Dominus reddet tibi.
23 Ventus aquilo dissipat pluvias,
et facies tristis linguam detrahentem.
24 Melius est sedere in angulo domatis
quam cum muliere litigiosa et in domo communi.
25 Aqua frigida animæ sitienti,
et nuntius bonus de terra longinqua.
26 Fons turbatus pede et vena corrupta,
justus cadens coram impio.
27 Sicut qui mel multum comedit non est ei bonum,
sic qui scrutator est majestatis opprimetur a gloria.
28 Sicut urbs patens et absque murorum ambitu,
ita vir qui non potest in loquendo cohibere spiritum suum.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition

CONTACT US