10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

11 An evil person desires only rebellion;
a cruel messenger[a](A) will be sent against him.

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Footnotes

  1. 17:11 Or a merciless angel

10 A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 Evil people seek only rebellion,
    but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.

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20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction
so that you may be wise later in life.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 19:20 Lit in your end

20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom for the future.(A)

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27 If you stop listening to correction, my son,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.

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27 My child, stop ignoring instruction,
    straying[a] from words of knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. 19.27 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

A king’s terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion;
anyone who provokes him endangers himself.(A)

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The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion;
    anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.(A)

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Many a person proclaims his own loyalty,
but who can find a trustworthy person?(A)

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Many proclaim themselves loyal,
    but who can find one worthy of trust?(A)

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A king sitting on a throne to judge
separates out all evil with his eyes.(A)

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A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.

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11 Even a young man is known by his actions—
by whether his behavior is pure and upright.(A)

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11 Even children make themselves known by their acts,
    by whether what they do is pure and right.(A)

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30 Lashes and wounds purge away evil,(A)
and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 20:30 Lit beatings the chambers of the belly

30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    beatings make clean the innermost parts.

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21 A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand:
He directs it wherever he chooses.(A)

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21 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
    he turns it wherever he will.

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11 The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips—the king is his friend.(A)

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11 Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech
    will have the king as a friend.(A)

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It is the glory of God to conceal a matter(A)
and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.

Remove impurities from silver,(B)
and material will be produced[a] for a silversmith.[b](C)
Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,(D)
and his throne will be established in righteousness.(E)

Don’t boast about yourself before the king,
and don’t stand in the place of the great;
for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!”
than to demote you in plain view of a noble.[c](F)

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Footnotes

  1. 25:4 Lit will come out; Ex 32:24
  2. 25:4 Or and a vessel will be produced by a silversmith
  3. 25:7 Lit you before a noble whom your eyes see

It is the glory of God to conceal things,
    but the glory of kings is to search things out.(A)
Like the heavens for height, like the earth for depth,
    so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
Take away the dross from the silver,
    and the smith has material for a vessel;(B)
take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.(C)
Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
    or stand in the place of the great,
for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
    than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen(D)

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18 Whoever tends a fig tree(A) will eat its fruit,(B)
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

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18 Anyone who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and anyone who takes care of a master will be honored.(A)

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