²⁸ A king is honored when he has many people to rule,
but a prince is ruined if he has none.

³⁵ A king is pleased with a ·wise [insightful] servant,
but he will become angry with one who causes him shame.

¹⁰ The words of a king are like a ·message from God [oracle],
so ·his decisions should be fair [^Lhe should not betray justice with his mouth].

¹² Kings ·hate [detest] those who do wrong,
because ·governments only continue if they are fair [^Lin righteousness the throne is established].

¹³ Kings ·like [favor] ·honest people [^Lrighteous lips];
they ·value [love] ·someone who speaks the truth [^Lthose who speak with integrity].

¹⁴ An angry king ·can put someone to [^Lis a messenger of] death,
so a wise person will ·try to make him happy [appease/calm him].

¹⁵ ·A smiling king can give people [^LIn the light of the face of the king there is] life;
his ·kindness [favor] is like a ·spring shower [^Lcloud that brings late rain].

⁷ ·Fools should not be proud [or It is not right for fools to be good speakers],
and ·rulers [honorable people] should not ·be liars [^Lhave lying lips].

¹¹ Disobedient ·people look only for trouble [^Lseek only rebellion],
so a cruel messenger will be sent against them.

¹² An angry king is like a ·roaring [growling] lion,
but his ·kindness [favor] is like the dew on the grass.

² An angry king is like a ·roaring [growling] lion.
Making him angry may cost you your life.

⁸ When a king sits on his throne to judge,
he ·knows evil when he sees it [or scatters evil with his eyes].

²⁶ A wise king ·sorts out [winnows; scatters] the evil people,
and he ·punishes them as they deserve [^Lrolls a threshing sledge over them].