⁷ Excess speech is not becoming to a fool;
    still less is false speech to a ruler.^[a]

¹² If a ruler listens to falsehood,
    all his officials will be wicked.

⁷ The legs of a lame person hang limp;
    so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.^(A)

¹⁰ Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
¹¹ Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.^(A)
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for the throne is established by righteousness.^(B)
13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves those who speak what is right.^(C)

¹⁹ Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.^(A)

³ I will not set before my eyes
    anything that is base.

¹² Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
    and the Almighty^[a] will not pervert justice.^(A)