These also are proverbs of Shelomo, which the men of Ḥizqiyya, king of Yehuda copied out.

These, too, are the analogues of King Solomon, which were set down by the men of Chizkiyah, king of Judah [when he was crowned as king].

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

The honor of G-d is concealing a thing [(i.e., not to make inquiries into recondite matters such as the Divine Chariot, the creation, and the statutes of the Torah)]; but the honor of kings [i.e., the sages] is searching out a thing [(trying to understand the reasons for their "fences," their decrees, etc.)].

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

The heavens for height, the earth for depth, and the heart of kings [(the sages)] for fathomlessness.

Take away the dross from the silver, and a vessel emerges for the refiner.

Remove the dross from the silver, and [only then] send the vessel to the refiner.

Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

Remove the wicked one from before the King, and [only then] will His throne be established in righteousness. [(The community is not absolved of responsibility until the evildoers are removed from its midst and punished.)]

Do not give thyself airs in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: for better it is that it be said to thee.

Do not plume yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of the great [(but keep a respectful distance)].

Come up here; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thy eyes have seen.

For it is better that it be said to you: "Come up here" than that you be made to go down before the prince, as, [indeed,] your eyes have seen.

Do not proceed hastily to litigation, lest thou know not what to do in the end of it, when thy neighbour has put thee to shame.

Do not be quick to stir up strife, lest [you do not know] what to do in the end when your friend shames you [(by proving himself guiltless)].

Debate thy cause with thy neighbour: and do not reveal the secret of another:

Prosecute your quarrel with your friend [(if you must)], but do not reveal the secret of another [i.e., do not bring up to him the wrongdoing of his ancestors so that others come to know of it)].

lest he who hears thee betray thee; and lest thy calumny be carried back.

Lest the hearer shame you [(by calling you a slanderer)] and you be unable to retract your slander.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in ornaments of silver.

Like golden apples [carved] into silver [-plated] vessels are words cogently spoken.

Like an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

Like a golden ring among jewelry of finest gold is the reproof of a sage upon a hearing ear.

Like the cold snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him: for he refreshes the soul of his master.

Like the cold of [(a day of)] snow on a harvest day is a faithful emissary to his sender; he revives his master's soul.

One who boasts of gifts that he does not give is like clouds and wind without rain.

Like clouds and wind without [the expected] rain, so is one who vaunts himself over a false gift [i.e., a gift that he never gives].

By long forbearing is a ruler won over, and a soft tongue breaks the bone.

So long as He withholds His wrath the Ruler may be mollified [(by penitence and prayer)], and a soft tongue [(in prayer and supplication)] may break the bone [i.e., the severity of the decree].

Hast thou found honey? eat as much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be sated with it, and vomit it up.

If you find honey, eat [only] what you need, lest you are surfeited and vomit it up.

Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.

[Similarly,] let your feet not frequent the house of your friend, lest he be surfeited with you and hate you.

A man who bears false witness against his neighbour is like a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow is one who testifies falsely against his friend.

Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

Like a broken tooth and a slipping foot is a trust [(in a friend)] that deceives in a day of trouble.

Like one who takes off a garment in cold weather, and like acid upon nitre, is he who sings songs to a heavy heart.

A worn-out garment on a cold day is like vinegar on nitre [(the vinegar eroding the nitre)], and, [similar to both,] is one who sings upon a bad heart [i.e., one who teaches Torah to a wicked disciple, who has no intention of abiding by his learning.]

If thy enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

If your foe be hungry, feed him bread; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink.

for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

For [in doing so] you draw coals [from the fire to heap] upon his head, and the L-rd will reconcile [him] to you.

The north wind brings in the rain: so does an angry countenance, a back biting tongue.

A north wind brews a rain, and a secret [i.e., slanderous] tongue, a scornful Countenance.

It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a roomy house.

Better [for the Shechinah] to dwell on a rooftop corner than [to have] a "contentious wife" [i.e., a sinning congregation] and a house [(a Temple)] of conjunction [i.e., where idolatry is conjoined to His worship].

As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

Cold water on a weary soul and a good report from a distant land [(on a weary soul) are both restorative to it].

A righteous man falling down before the wicked is like a muddied fountain, and a polluted spring.

[(As loathsome as)] a trodden spring and a fouled [water] source is a righteous man who bows before an evildoer [(fearing to reprove him)].

It is not good to eat much honey: so it is honour to set bounds to honour.

Eating too much honey is not good [(It is not good to probe recondite matters (like the Divine Chariot and the creation) before the uninitiated, for they are likely to ridicule what is beyond them)], but the probing of their [the sages'] honor [(their enactments and decrees)] is honor [to them].

He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

A breached city without a wall is the man with no constraint to his spirit.