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

11 He that loveth [a]pureness of heart,
[b]For the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:11 Another reading is, the pure of heart.
  2. Proverbs 22:11 Or, Hath grace in his lips. Or, That hath grace in his lips

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

23 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler,
Consider diligently [a]him that is before thee;
[b]And put a knife to thy throat,
If thou be a man given to appetite.
Be not desirous of his dainties;
Seeing they are deceitful food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or, what
  2. Proverbs 23:2 Or, For thou wilt put

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

21 My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king;
And company not with them that are given to change:
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly;
And the destruction [a]from them both, who knoweth it?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:22 Or, of their years

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

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing;
But the glory of 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 dross from the silver,
And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne shall be established in righteousness.
[a]Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king,
And stand not in the place of great men:
For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither,
Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom thine eyes have seen.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:6 Hebrew Glorify not thyself.

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

15 By long forbearing is a [a]ruler persuaded,
And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:15 Or, judge

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

For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof;
But by [a]men of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
A needy man that oppresseth the poor
Is like a sweeping rain [b]which leaveth no food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:2 Or, a man
  2. Proverbs 28:3 Hebrew without food.

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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15 As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear,
So is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 [a]The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor;
But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:16 Or, O prince that lackest understanding and art a great oppressor, He etc.

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

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The king by justice establisheth the land;
But [a]he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:4 Or, he that imposeth tribute. Hebrew a man of offerings.

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

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12 If a ruler hearkeneth to falsehood,
All his servants are wicked.

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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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14 The king that faithfully judgeth the poor,
His throne shall be established for ever.

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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

26 Many seek the ruler’s favor;
But a man’s judgment cometh from Jehovah.

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