10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
a cruel messenger[a](A) will be sent against him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:11 Or a merciless angel

10 A rebuke goes deeper to an understanding person
    than a hundred lashes to a fool.
11 Evil people seek only rebellion;
    a cruel messenger will be sent against them.

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20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction
so that you may be wise later in life.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:20 Lit in your end

20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    so you might grow wise in the future.

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27 If you stop listening to correction, my son,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.

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27 If, my child, you stop listening to discipline,
    you will wander away from words of knowledge.

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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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A king is as terrifying as a lion’s growl.
    Those who anger him may lose their life.

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Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
but who can find a trustworthy man?(A)

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Many people will say that they are loyal,
    but who can find a reliable person?

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

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A king who sits on his judgment throne
    sifts out all evil with his eyes.

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11 Even a young man is known by his actions—
if his behavior is pure and upright.(A)

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11 Even young people are known by their actions,
    whether their conduct is pure and upright.

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30 Lashes and wounds purge away evil,(A)
and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:30 Lit beatings the chambers of the belly

30 Blows and bruises remove evil;
    beatings cleanse the inner parts.

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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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21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
    he directs it wherever he wants.

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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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11 Those who love a pure heart—
    their speech is gracious, and the king is their friend.

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It is the glory of God to conceal a matter(A)
and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
As the heaven is high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.

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

Don’t brag 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.[b](F)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:4 Lit will come out; Ex 32:24
  2. Proverbs 25:7 Lit you before a noble whom your eyes see

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.

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.

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,

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18 Whoever tends a fig tree(A) will eat its fruit,(B)
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

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18 Those who tend a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and those who look after their master will be honored.

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