² It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.^(C)
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
    so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

⁴ Remove the dross from the silver,
    and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
⁵ remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,^(D)
    and his throne will be established^(E) through righteousness.^(F)

⁶ Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among his great men;
⁷ it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”^(G)
    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes
⁸     do not bring^[a] hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
    if your neighbor puts you to shame?^(H)

⁹ If you take your neighbor to court,
    do not betray another’s confidence,
¹⁰ or the one who hears it may shame you
    and the charge against you will stand.

¹¹ Like apples^[b] of gold in settings of silver^(I)
    is a ruling rightly given.
¹² Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
    is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.^(J)

¹³ Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time
    is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;
    he refreshes the spirit of his master.^(K)
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
    is one who boasts of gifts never given.

¹⁵ Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,^(L)
    and a gentle tongue can break a bone.^(M)

¹⁶ If you find honey, eat just enough—
    too much of it, and you will vomit.^(N)
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
    too much of you, and they will hate you.

¹⁸ Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
    is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.^(O)
19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
    is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
²⁰ Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
    or like vinegar poured on a wound,
    is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
    if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
²² In doing this, you will heap burning coals^(P) on his head,
    and the Lord will reward you.^(Q)

²³ Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
    is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

²⁴ Better to live on a corner of the roof
    than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.^(R)

²⁵ Like cold water to a weary soul
    is good news from a distant land.^(S)
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
    are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

²⁷ It is not good to eat too much honey,^(T)
    nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.^(U)

²⁸ Like a city whose walls are broken through
    is a person who lacks self-control.

“Maintain justice^(A)
    and do what is right,^(B)
for my salvation^(C) is close at hand
    and my righteousness^(D) will soon be revealed.
² Blessed^(E) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath^(F) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

³ Let no foreigner^(G) who is bound to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”^(H)
And let no eunuch^(I) complain,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

“To the eunuchs^(J) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant^(K)—
⁵ to them I will give within my temple and its walls^(L)
    a memorial^(M) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name^(N)
    that will endure forever.^(O)
6 And foreigners^(P) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister^(Q) to him,
to love the name^(R) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath^(S) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain^(T)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices^(U)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.^(V)”^(W)
8 The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather^(X) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

57 The righteous perish,^(AI)
    and no one takes it to heart;^(AJ)
the devout are taken away,
    and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
    to be spared from evil.^(AK)
2 Those who walk uprightly^(AL)
    enter into peace;
    they find rest^(AM) as they lie in death.

³ “But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,^(AN)
    you offspring of adulterers^(AO) and prostitutes!^(AP)
4 Who are you mocking?
    At whom do you sneer
    and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,^(AQ)
    the offspring of liars?
⁵ You burn with lust among the oaks^(AR)
    and under every spreading tree;^(AS)
you sacrifice your children^(AT) in the ravines
    and under the overhanging crags.
⁶ The idols^(AU) among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
    indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings^(AV)
    and offered grain offerings.
    In view of all this, should I relent?^(AW)
7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;^(AX)
    there you went up to offer your sacrifices.^(AY)
8 Behind your doors and your doorposts
    you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
    you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,^(AZ)
    and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.^(BA)
9 You went to Molek^[a](BB) with olive oil
    and increased your perfumes.^(BC)
You sent your ambassadors^[b](BD) far away;
    you descended to the very realm of the dead!^(BE)
10 You wearied^(BF) yourself by such going about,
    but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’^(BG)
You found renewal of your strength,^(BH)
    and so you did not faint.

¹¹ “Whom have you so dreaded and feared^(BI)
    that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered^(BJ) me
    nor taken this to heart?^(BK)
Is it not because I have long been silent^(BL)
    that you do not fear me?
¹² I will expose your righteousness and your works,^(BM)
    and they will not benefit you.
¹³ When you cry out^(BN) for help,
    let your collection of idols save^(BO) you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
    a mere breath will blow^(BP) them away.
But whoever takes refuge^(BQ) in me
    will inherit the land^(BR)
    and possess my holy mountain.”^(BS)

“Build up, build up, prepare the road!^(BT)
    Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”^(BU)
15 For this is what the high and exalted^(BV) One says—
    he who lives forever,^(BW) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high^(BX) and holy place,
    but also with the one who is contrite^(BY) and lowly in spirit,^(BZ)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.^(CA)
16 I will not accuse^(CB) them forever,
    nor will I always be angry,^(CC)
for then they would faint away because of me—
    the very people^(CD) I have created.
¹⁷ I was enraged by their sinful greed;^(CE)
    I punished them, and hid^(CF) my face in anger,
    yet they kept on in their willful ways.^(CG)
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal^(CH) them;
    I will guide^(CI) them and restore comfort^(CJ) to Israel’s mourners,
¹⁹     creating praise on their lips.^(CK)
Peace, peace,^(CL) to those far and near,”^(CM)
    says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
²⁰ But the wicked^(CN) are like the tossing sea,^(CO)
    which cannot rest,
    whose waves cast up mire^(CP) and mud.
²¹ “There is no peace,”^(CQ) says my God, “for the wicked.”^(CR)

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
¹¹ They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”^[a](T)