Proverbs 24:27-25:13

27Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.

28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead?

29Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.”

30I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;

31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.

32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:

33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 34and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

More Proverbs of Solomon 1These are more proverbs of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

4Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel;

5remove wicked officials from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.

6Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among his great men;

7it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before his nobles. What you have seen with your eyes

8do not bring Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / 8 Do not go hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?

9If you take your neighbor to court, do not betray another’s confidence,

10or the one who hears it may shame you and the charge against you will stand.

11Like apples Or possibly apricots of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.

12Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.

13Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him; he refreshes the spirit of his master.