21 My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king,(A)
and don’t associate with rebels,[a]
22 for destruction will come suddenly from them;
who knows what distress these two can bring?

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

  1. 24:21 Or those given to change

21 Fear the Lord, my child, as well as the king.
    Don’t associate with those who are rebellious.
22 Disaster comes suddenly from them.
    Who can know the ruin that both can bring?

Read full chapter

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.

Read full chapter

It is the glory of God to hide something
    and the glory of kings to discover something.
Like the high heavens and the depths of the earth,
    so the mind of a king is unsearchable.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

  1. 25:4 Lit will come out; Ex 32:24
  2. 25:4 Or and a vessel will be produced by a silversmith

Remove the dross from the silver,
    and a vessel will come out for the refiner.
Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.

Read full chapter

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.[a](A)

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

  1. 25:7 Lit you before a noble whom your eyes see

Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
    or stand in the place of important people,
    because it is better that he say to you,
    “Come up here,”
    than to be demoted before a ruler.

What your eyes see,

Read full chapter

By justice a king brings stability to a land,(A)
but a person who demands “contributions”[a]
demolishes it.(B)

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

  1. 29:4 The Hb word for contributions usually refers to offerings in worship.

A king gives stability to the land by justice,
    but one who imposes heavy taxes tears it down.

Read full chapter

14 A king who judges the poor with fairness—
his throne will be established forever.(A)

Read full chapter

14 If a king judges the poor honestly,
    his throne will be established forever.

Read full chapter

It is not for kings, Lemuel,
it is not for kings(A) to drink wine(B)
or for rulers to desire beer.
Otherwise, he will drink,
forget what is decreed,(C)
and pervert justice for all the oppressed.[a](D)
Give beer to one who is dying
and wine to one whose life is bitter.(E)
Let him drink so that he can forget his poverty
and remember his trouble no more.(F)

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

  1. 31:5 Lit sons of affliction

It isn’t for kings, Lemuel,
    it isn’t for kings to drink wine,
    for rulers to crave[a] strong drink.
Otherwise, they will drink and forget the law,
    and violate the rights of the needy.
Give strong drink to those who are perishing
    and wine to those whose hearts are bitter.
Let them drink and forget their poverty
    and no longer remember their toil.

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

  1. Proverbs 31:4 Or where or or