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29 Do you see people skilled in their work?
    They will work for kings, not for ordinary people.

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Saying 6

29 Do you see someone skilled(A) in their work?
    They will serve(B) before kings;(C)
    they will not serve before officials of low rank.

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Wise people have great power,
    and those with knowledge have great strength.
So you need advice when you go to war.
    If you have lots of good advice, you will win.

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Saying 22

The wise prevail through great power,
    and those who have knowledge muster their strength.
Surely you need guidance to wage war,
    and victory is won through many advisers.(A)

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27 First, finish your outside work
    and prepare your fields.
    After that, you can build your house.

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

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Remove the scum from the silver,
    so the silver can be used by the silversmith.
Remove wicked people from the king’s presence;
    then his government will be honest and last a long time.

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Remove the dross from the silver,
    and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,(A)
    and his throne will be established(B) through righteousness.(C)

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15 With patience you can convince a ruler,
    and a gentle word can get through to the hard-headed.

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15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,(A)
    and a gentle tongue can break a bone.(B)

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If a king is fair, he makes his country strong,
    but if he takes gifts dishonestly, he tears his country down.

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:4 Or who give

14 If a king judges poor people fairly,
    his government will continue forever.

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14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
    his throne will be established forever.(A)

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