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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, fear both the Lord and the king,
    and don’t keep company with rebels.
22 They will be destroyed suddenly,
    and who knows what kind of punishment will come from these two?

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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.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:2 Or “gods”
  2. Proverbs 25:3 Or “mind”

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
    and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
Just as the heavens are high
    and earth is deep,
        so the heart of a king is unfathomable.

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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.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:5 Hebrew “in the righteousness”

Purge the dross from the silver,
    and material for[a] a vessel comes forth for the silversmith.
Purge the wicked from the king’s presence,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:4 The Heb. lacks material for

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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Don’t magnify yourself in the presence of a king,
    and don’t pretend to be in the company of famous men,
for it is better that it be told you, “Come up here,”
    than for you to be placed lower
        in the presence of an official.

What you’ve seen with your own eyes,

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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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A king brings stability to a land through justice,
    but a man who takes bribes brings it to ruin.

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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 When a king faithfully administers justice to the poor,
    his throne will be established forever.

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It is not for the kings, O Lemuel;
    drinking wine is not for the kings,
    nor is strong drink for rulers.
Or else he will drink and forget what has been decreed,
    and he will pervert the rights[a] of all the afflicted.[b]
Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
    and wine to those in bitter distress.[c]
He will drink and forget his poverty,
    and his misery he will not remember any more.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:5 Hebrew “right”
  2. Proverbs 31:5 Literally “sons of affliction”
  3. Proverbs 31:6 Literally “to bitterness of soul”

It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    Not for kings to drink wine
        or for rulers to desire liquor.
Otherwise, they may drink and forget what has been ordained,
    perverting justice for all the oppressed.

Give liquor to someone who is perishing,
    and wine to someone who is deeply depressed.[a]
Let him drink, forget his poverty,
    and remember his troubles no more.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:6 Lit. one whose soul is bitter