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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Sluggards(A) do not plow in season;
    so at harvest time they look but find nothing.(B)

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Those too lazy to plow in the right season
    will have no food at the harvest.

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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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12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—
    the Lord has made them both.(A)

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12 Ears to hear and eyes to see—
    both are gifts from the Lord.

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14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
    then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

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14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,”
    then brags about getting a bargain!

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16 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
    hold it in pledge(A) if it is done for an outsider.(B)

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16 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.
    Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 20:16 An alternate reading in the Masoretic Text is for a promiscuous woman.

26 A wise king winnows out the wicked;
    he drives the threshing wheel over them.(A)

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26 A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat,
    then runs his threshing wheel over them.

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