²⁸ If a king is kind, honest, and fair, his kingdom stands secure.

⁸ A man is known by his actions.^[a] An evil man lives an evil life; a good man lives a godly life.

²⁹ An evil man is stubborn, but a godly man will reconsider.^[a]

¹⁰ Throw out the mocker, and you will be rid of tension, fighting, and quarrels.

¹¹ He who values grace and truth is the king’s friend.

23 ^1-3 When dining with a rich man,^[a] be on your guard and don’t stuff yourself, though it all tastes so good; for he is trying to bribe you, and no good is going to come of his invitation.

^6-8 Don’t associate with evil men; don’t long for their favors and gifts. Their kindness is a trick; they want to use you as their pawn. The delicious food they serve will turn sour in your stomach, and you will vomit it and have to take back your words of appreciation for their “kindness.”

^4-5 When you remove dross from silver, you have sterling ready for the silversmith. When you remove corrupt men from the king’s court, his reign will be just and fair.

⁶ To trust a rebel to convey a message is as foolish as cutting off your feet and drinking poison!

¹⁰ The master may get better work from an untrained apprentice than from a skilled rebel!

^24-26 A man with hate in his heart may sound pleasant enough, but don’t believe him; for he is cursing you in his heart. Though he pretends to be so kind, his hatred will finally come to light for all to see.

²⁷ The man who sets a trap for others will get caught in it himself. Roll a boulder down on someone, and it will roll back and crush you.

²⁸ Flattery is a form of hatred and wounds cruelly.