²⁸ Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
    through love^(A) his throne is made secure.^(B)

¹² Kings detest wrongdoing,
    for a throne is established through righteousness.^(A)

¹³ Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
    they value the one who speaks what is right.^(B)

⁴ By justice a king gives a country stability,^(A)
    but those who are greedy for^[a] bribes tear it down.

⁸ When a king sits on his throne to judge,^(A)
    he winnows out all evil with his eyes.^(B)

⁵ The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,^(A)
    but one who has insight draws them out.

² It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.^(A)
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
    so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

²⁶ A wise king winnows out the wicked;
    he drives the threshing wheel over them.^(A)