1. These too are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, copied.
2. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
3. As the heaven is high and the earth is deep,so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.
4. Remove impurities from silver, and a vessel will be produced for a silversmith.
5. Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6. Don’t brag about yourself before the king,and don’t stand in the place of the great;
7. for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here! ”than to demote you in plain view of a noble.
8. Don’t take a matter to court hastily. Otherwise, what will you do afterwardif your opponent humiliates you?
9. Make your case with your opponent without revealing another’s secret;
10. otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,and you’ll never live it down.
11. A word spoken at the right timeis like gold apples on a silver tray.
12. A wise correction to a receptive ear is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.