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It brings glory to God to hide a matter,
but it brings glory to kings to investigate a matter.
As heaven is high and earth is deep,
so there is no searching the heart of kings.

Remove impurities from silver,
and a vessel can be cast by a silversmith.
Remove a wicked person from a king’s presence,
and his throne will be established with righteousness.

Do not honor yourself in a king’s presence.
Do not stand in a place reserved for great people,
because it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than for you to be humiliated before a ruler
    whom your eyes have seen.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:7 Many translations associate this line with verse 8: What you have seen with your eye do not bring quickly into court. Manuscript evidence supports a connection with verse 7, but sense seems to favor including it with verse 8.

The glory of God[a] conceals things,
    but the glory of kings searches out things.
As heaven is to height and the earth is to depth,
    so is the heart[b] of kings—there is no searching.
Remove the dross from silver,
    and it will become a vessel for the smith.
Remove the wicked before a king,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.[c]
Do not promote yourself before the king,
    and in the place of the great ones do not stand.
For it is better that he say to you, “Ascend here,”
    than he humble you before a noble.
What your eyes have seen,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:2 Or “gods”
  2. Proverbs 25:3 Or “mind”
  3. Proverbs 25:5 Hebrew “in the righteousness”

15 By patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a soft tongue can break a bone.

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15 With patience[a] a ruler may be persuaded,
    and a soft tongue will break a bone.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:15 Literally “With length of face”
  2. Proverbs 25:15 Or “strength”