3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched. 4 Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth. 5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Proverbs 25:3–5
Semantically similar passages
Proverbs 20:7–9
7 The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him. 8 A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes. 9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
Proverbs 16:11–13
11 Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are His concern. 12 Wicked behavior is detestable to kings, for a throne is established through righteousness. 13 Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he who speaks honestly is beloved.
Proverbs 17:2–4
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers. 3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts. 4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
Sirach 7:1–3
1 Do no evil, so no evil will overtake you. (WEB) 2 Depart from wrong, and it will turn away from you. (WEB) 3 My son, don’t sow upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and you won’t reap them sevenfold. (WEB)
Proverbs 29:3–5
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. 4 By justice a king brings stability to the land, but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it. 5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
Proverbs 20:25–27
25 It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows. 26 A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them. 27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.
Proverbs 10:30–32
30 The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not inhabit the land. 31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out. 32 The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.
Proverbs 29:13–15
13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both. 14 A king who judges the poor with fairness— his throne will be established forever. 15 A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.
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