28 A large population is a king’s glory,
    but without subjects a prince is ruined.(A)

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28 A large population is a king’s splendor,
but a shortage of people is a ruler’s devastation.

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35 A king delights in a wise servant,
    but a shameful servant arouses his fury.(A)

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35 A king favors a wise servant,(A)
but his anger falls on a disgraceful one.

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10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
    and his mouth does not betray justice.(A)

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10 God’s verdict is on the lips of a king;[a](A)
his mouth should not give an unfair judgment.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:10 Or A divination is on the lips of a king

13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
    they value the one who speaks what is right.(A)

14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,(B)
    but the wise will appease it.(C)

15 When a king’s face brightens, it means life;(D)
    his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.(E)

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13 Righteous lips are a king’s delight,
and he loves one who speaks honestly.

14 A king’s fury is a messenger of death,
but a wise man appeases it.(A)

15 When a king’s face lights up, there is life;
his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.

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12 A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,(A)
    but his favor is like dew(B) on the grass.(C)

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12 A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion,(A)
but his favor is like dew on the grass.(B)

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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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A king’s terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion;
anyone who provokes him endangers himself.(A)

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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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A king sitting on a throne to judge
sifts out all evil with his eyes.(A)

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

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26 A wise king separates out the wicked(A)
and drives the threshing wheel(B) over them.

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28 Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
    through love(A) his throne is made secure.(B)

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28 Loyalty and faithfulness deliver a king;
through loyalty he maintains his throne.

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21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
    that he channels toward all who please him.(A)

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21 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:
He directs it wherever He chooses.(A)

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11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
    will have the king for a friend.(A)

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11 The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips—the king is his friend.(A)

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Saying 6

29 Do you see someone skilled(A) in their work?
    They will serve(B) before kings;(C)
    they will not serve before officials of low rank.

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29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand in the presence of kings.
He will not stand in the presence of unknown men.(A)

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