10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
    more than a hundred lashes a fool.

11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
    the messenger of death will be sent against them.

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10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding
    than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

11 Evil people are eager for rebellion,
    but they will be severely punished.

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20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,(A)
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(B)

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20 Get all the advice and instruction you can,
    so you will be wise the rest of your life.

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27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(A)
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

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27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child,
    you will turn your back on knowledge.

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A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;(A)
    those who anger him forfeit their lives.(B)

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The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar;
    to rouse his anger is to risk your life.

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Many claim to have unfailing love,
    but a faithful person who can find?(A)

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Many will say they are loyal friends,
    but who can find one who is truly reliable?

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

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When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence,
    distinguishing the bad from the good.

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11 Even small children are known by their actions,
    so is their conduct really pure(A) and upright?

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11 Even children are known by the way they act,
    whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.

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30 Blows and wounds scrub(A) away evil,
    and beatings(B) purge the inmost being.

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30 Physical punishment cleanses away evil;[a]
    such discipline purifies the heart.

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Footnotes

  1. 20:30 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
    that he channels toward all who please him.(A)

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21 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
    he guides it wherever he pleases.

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11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
    will have the king for a friend.(A)

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11 Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech
    will have the king as a friend.

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

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

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among his great men;
it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”(E)
    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes

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It is God’s privilege to conceal things
    and the king’s privilege to discover them.

No one can comprehend the height of heaven, the depth of the earth,
    or all that goes on in the king’s mind!

Remove the impurities from silver,
    and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.
Remove the wicked from the king’s court,
    and his reign will be made secure by justice.

Don’t demand an audience with the king
    or push for a place among the great.
It’s better to wait for an invitation to the head table
    than to be sent away in public disgrace.

Just because you’ve seen something,

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18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,(A)
    and whoever protects their master will be honored.(B)

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18 As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit,
    so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded.

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