²¹ Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king;
    with those who change, do not associate.
²² For suddenly their disaster will come,
    and the ruin of both of them,^[a] who knows?

² The glory of God^[a] conceals things,
    but the glory of kings searches out things.
³ As heaven is to height and the earth is to depth,
    so is the heart^[b] of kings—there is no searching.

⁴ Remove the dross from silver,
    and it will become a vessel for the smith.
⁵ Remove the wicked before a king,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.^[a]

⁶ Do not promote yourself before the king,
    and in the place of the great ones do not stand.
⁷ For it is better that he say to you, “Ascend here,”
    than he humble you before a noble.
What your eyes have seen,

⁴ By justice a king gives stability to a land,
    but a man of bribes will ruin it.

¹⁴ A king who judges with truthfulness to the poor,
    his throne will be established forever.

⁴ It is not for the kings, O Lemuel;
    drinking wine is not for the kings,
    nor is strong drink for rulers.
⁵ Or else he will drink and forget what has been decreed,
    and he will pervert the rights^[a] of all the afflicted.^[b]
6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
    and wine to those in bitter distress.^[c]
7 He will drink and forget his poverty,
    and his misery he will not remember any more.