Proverbs 25 · Verse 4

Proverbs 25:4

Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
Proverbs 25:4, King James Version

Proverbs 25:4 in other translations

BSBRemove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.
WEBTake away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner.
ASVTake away the dross from the silver, And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
YLTTake away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
DARBYTake away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
BBETake away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.
WebsterTake away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

What does Proverbs 25:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 25:4-5
4-5. As separating impurities from ore leaves pure silver, so taking from a king wicked counsellors leaves a wise and beneficent government.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Take away the dross from the silver - You cannot have a pure silver vessel till you have purified the silver; and no nation can have a king a public blessing till the wicked - all bad counsellors, wicked and interested ministers, and sycophants - are banished from the court and cabinet. When the wise and good only are the king's ministers and advisers, then the throne will be established in righteousness, and his administration be a universal blessing.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 25:4-5
For a prince to suppress vice, and reform his people, is the best way to support his government.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 25:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הָג֣וֹha.GoremoveH1898
סִיגִ֣יםsi.Gimdross<es>H5509
מִכָּ֑סֶףmi.Ka.seffrom silverH3701
וַיֵּצֵ֖אvai.ye.Tze'and it came outH3318
לַצֹּרֵ֣ףla.tzo.Reffor the metalsmithH6884
כֶּֽלִי\׃Ke.lia vesselH3627

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 25:4

  • 2 Timothy 2:20-21

    But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

  • Ezekiel 22:18

    Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.

  • Proverbs 17:3

    The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

  • Malachi 3:2-3

    But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

  • Isaiah 1:25-27

    And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

  • 1 Peter 1:7

    That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
17:3; Isa 1:25-27; Mal 3:3; 2Ti 2:20,21; 1Pe 1:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 25:3

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

  • Proverbs 25:4

    Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

  • Proverbs 25:5

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

Read all of Proverbs 25

Proverbs 25:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Quita las escorias de la plata, y saldrá vaso al fundidor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ôte de l’argent les scories, et il en sortira un vase pour l’orfèvre;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Man entferne die Schlacken von dem Silber, so geht für den Goldschmied ein Gerät hervor.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Aufer rubiginem de argento, et egredietur vas purissimum.