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11 He who loves purity of heart
    and hasgracious speech,[a] his friend is the king.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:11 Literally “grace of his lips”

11 One who loves (A)purity of heart
And [a]whose speech is (B)gracious, the king is his friend.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:11 Lit has grace on his lips

23 When you sit to eat with a ruler,
    you shall surely observe what is before you,
and you shall put a knife to your throat
    if you have a big appetite.[a]
Do not desire his delicacies,
    for[b] it is food of deception.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:2 Literally “lord/master of life”
  2. Proverbs 23:3 Hebrew “and”

On Life and Conduct

23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider carefully [a]what is before you,
And put a knife to your throat
If you are a (A)person of great appetite.
Do not (B)desire his delicacies,
For it is deceptive food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or who

21 Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king;
    with those who change, do not associate.
22 For suddenly their disaster will come,
    and the ruin of both of them,[a] who knows?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:22 Literally “the two of them”

21 My son, [a](A)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not get involved with those [b]of high rank,
22 For their (B)disaster will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin that can come from both of them?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:21 Or revere
  2. Proverbs 24:21 Or who change

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”

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.
Take away the [a](C)impurities from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the (D)smith;
Take away the (E)wicked before the king,
And his (F)throne will be established in righteousness.
Do not boast in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the same place [b]as great people;
For (G)it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:4 Lit dross
  2. Proverbs 25:6 Lit of

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”

15 Through [a](A)patience a ruler may be persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks bone.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:15 Lit length of anger

By the rebellion of a land, her rulers increase,
    but by a person of intelligence who knows justice, it will last.
A man who is poor and oppresses the impoverished
    is a beating rain that leaves[a] no food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:3 Literally “and there is”

Due to a [a]wrongdoing of [b]a land its leaders are (A)many,
But (B)by a person of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.
A (C)poor man who oppresses the helpless
Is like a driving rain [c]which leaves no food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:2 Or rebellion
  2. Proverbs 28:2 I.e., the people of a land
  3. Proverbs 28:3 Lit and there is no bread

15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is[a] a cruel oppressor,
    but those who hate unjust gain will have long[b] days.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:16 Hebrew “and”
  2. Proverbs 28:16 Or “prolong”

15 Like a (A)roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a (B)wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A (C)leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
But a person who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

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By justice a king gives stability to a land,
    but a man of bribes will ruin it.

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The (A)king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a person who takes bribes ruins it.

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12 A ruler listening to a word of falsehood,
    all his officials are wicked.

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12 If a (A)ruler pays attention to falsehood,
All his ministers become wicked.

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14 A king who judges with truthfulness to the poor,
    his throne will be established forever.

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

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26 Many are those who seek the favor[a] of a ruler,
    but from Yahweh one obtains justice.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:26 Literally “faces”
  2. Proverbs 29:26 Literally “comes justice for a man”

26 (A)Many seek the ruler’s [a]favor,
But (B)justice for mankind comes from the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:26 Lit face