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, (A)fear the Lord and the king,
    and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
    and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

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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.

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It is the glory of God to (A)conceal things,
    but the glory of kings is to (B)search things out.
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
    so the heart of kings is (C)unsearchable.

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Take away the [a](A)impurities from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the (B)smith;
Take away the (C)wicked before the king,
And his (D)throne will be established in righteousness.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:4 Lit dross

Take away (A)the dross from the silver,
    and (B)the smith has material for a vessel;
take away (C)the wicked from the presence of the king,
    and his (D)throne will be established in righteousness.

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Do not boast in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the same place [a]as great people;
For (A)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 25:6 Lit of

Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
    or stand in the place of the great,
for (A)it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
    than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen

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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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By justice a king (A)builds up the land,
    but he who exacts gifts[a] tears it down.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:4 Or who taxes heavily

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

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14 If a king (A)faithfully judges the poor,
    his throne will (B)be established forever.

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It is not for (A)kings, Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (B)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire intoxicating drink,
Otherwise they will drink and forget what is decreed,
And (C)pervert the [a]rights of all the [b]needy.
Give intoxicating drink to one who is (D)perishing,
And wine to one [c](E)whose life is bitter.
Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his trouble no more.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:5 Lit judgment
  2. Proverbs 31:5 Lit sons of affliction
  3. Proverbs 31:6 Lit bitter of soul

(A)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
    it is not for kings (B)to drink wine,
    or for rulers to take (C)strong drink,
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
    and (D)pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to the one who (E)is perishing,
    and wine to (F)those in bitter distress;[a]
(G)let them drink and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul