11 (A)He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.

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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

Listen to Your Father

23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is before you;
And put a knife to your throat
If you are a man given to appetite.
Do not desire his delicacies,
For they are deceptive food.

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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)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;
22 For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

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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

(A)It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
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.

(B)Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in (C)righteousness.

Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;
(D)For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

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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 (A)By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

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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

Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.

(A)A poor man who oppresses the poor
Is like a driving rain [a]which leaves no food.

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Footnotes

  1. 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 (A)Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
(B)Is a wicked ruler over poor people.

16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great (C)oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness 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 king establishes the land by justice,
But he who receives bribes overthrows 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 ruler pays attention to lies,
All his servants become wicked.

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

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14 The king who judges the (A)poor with truth,
His 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 justice for man 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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