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21 My son, [a](A)fear Yahweh and the king;
Do not associate with those who change,
22 For suddenly their (B)disaster will rise,
And who knows the upheaval that comes from both of them?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:21 Or reverence

21 My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king;
And company not with them that are given to change:
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly;
And the destruction [a]from them both, who knoweth it?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:22 Or, of their years

It is the glory of God to (A)conceal a matter,
But the glory of (B)kings is to search out a matter.
As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

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It is the glory of God to conceal a thing;
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

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Take away the (A)dross from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the (B)smith;
Take away the (C)wicked before the king,
And his (D)throne will be established in righteousness.

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Take away the dross from the silver,
And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne shall be established in righteousness.

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Do not promote your majesty in the presence of the king,
And in the place of great men do not stand;
For (A)it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of a noble,
Whom your eyes have seen.

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[a]Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king,
And stand not in the place of great men:
For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither,
Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom thine eyes have seen.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:6 Hebrew Glorify not thyself.

By justice the (A)king causes the land to stand,
But a man of bribes tears it down.

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The king by justice establisheth the land;
But [a]he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:4 Or, he that imposeth tribute. Hebrew a man of offerings.

14 If a (A)king judges the poor with truth,
His (B)throne will be established forever.

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14 The king that faithfully judgeth the poor,
His throne shall be established for ever.

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It is not for (A)kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (B)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
Lest he drink and forget what is decreed,
And (C)pervert the justice of all the [a]afflicted.
Give strong drink to him who is (D)perishing,
And wine to those (E)whose soul is bitter.
Let him drink and forget his poverty
And he will not remember his trouble any longer.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:5 Lit sons of affliction

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine;
Nor for princes [a]to say, Where is strong drink?
Lest they drink, and forget [b]the law,
And pervert the justice due to [c]any that is afflicted.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,
And wine unto the bitter in soul:
Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:4 Another reading is, to desire strong drink.
  2. Proverbs 31:5 Hebrew that which is decreed.
  3. Proverbs 31:5 Hebrew all the sons of affliction.