1Also these be the Parables of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, translated.

2The glory of God is to cover a word; and the glory of kings is to seek out a word.

3Heaven above, and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4Do thou away rust from silver, and a full clean vessel shall go out.

5Do thou away unpiety from the cheer of the king, and his throne shall be made steadfast by rightfulness [or rightwiseness].

6Appear thou not glorious before the king, and stand thou not in the place of great men.

7For it is better, that it be said to thee, Ascend thou [or Go up] hither, than that thou be made low before the prince.

8Bring 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 or he hath shamed thee.

9Treat thy cause with thy friend, and show thou not private matter to a strange man;

10lest peradventure he have joy of thy fall, when he hath heard, and cease not to do shame to thee.

11A golden pomme or pommel in beds of silver is he, that speaketh a word in his time.

12A golden earring, and a shining pearl is he, that reproveth a wise man, and an ear obeying.

13As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, so a faithful messenger to him that sent him, maketh his soul to have rest.

14A cloud and wind, and rain not pursuing [or following], is a glorious man, and not [ful] filling promises.

15A prince shall be made soft by patience; and a soft tongue shall break hardness.

16Thou hast found honey, eat thou that that sufficeth to thee; lest per-adventure thou be [full]-filled, and spew it out.

17Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour; lest sometime he be filled, that is, annoyed, and hate thee.

18A dart, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, is a man that speaketh false witnessing against his neighbour.

19A rotten tooth, and a faint foot is he, that hopeth on an unfaithful man in the day of anguish,

20and loseth his mantle in the day of cold. Vinegar in a vessel of salt is he, that singeth songs to the worst heart. As a moth annoyeth or harmeth a cloth, and a worm a tree, so the sorrow of a man annoyeth the heart.

21If thine enemy hungereth, feed thou him; if he thirsteth, give thou him water to drink;

22for thou shalt gather together coals on his head; and the Lord shall yield to thee.

23The north wind scattereth abroad rains; and a sorrowful face destroyeth a tongue backbiting.

24It is better to sit in the corner of an house without [a] roof, than with a woman full of chiding, and in a common house.

25Cold water to a thirsty man; and a good messenger from a far land.

26A well disturbed with foot, and a vein broken, is a just [or rightwise] man falling before a wicked man.

27As it is not good to him that eateth much honey; so he that is a searcher of majesty, shall be put down from glory.

28As a city open, and without compass of walls; so is a man that may not refrain his spirit in speaking.