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11 He who loves purity of heart,
    and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as 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

23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
    observe carefully what[a] 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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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, fear the Lord and the king,
    and do not disobey either of them;[a]
22 for disaster from them will rise suddenly,
    and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:21 Gk: Heb do not associate with those 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 conceal things,
    but the glory of kings is to search things out.
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
    so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
Take away the dross from the silver,
    and the smith has material for a vessel;
take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
    or stand in the place of the great;
for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
    than to be put lower in the presence of the prince.

What 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 With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
    and a soft tongue will break 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

When a land transgresses
    it has many rulers;
but with men of understanding and knowledge
    its stability will long continue.
A poor man who oppresses the poor
    is a beating rain that leaves no food.

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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 roaring lion or a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor;
    but he 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.

By justice a king gives stability to the land,
    but one who exacts gifts 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 ruler listens to falsehood,
    all his officials will be wicked.

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

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14 If a king judges the poor with equity
    his throne will be established for ever.

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

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26 Many seek the favor of a ruler,
    but from the Lord a man gets justice.

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

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