²⁸Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

¹The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

²³These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

²⁴He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

²⁵But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

³The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁵Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

²For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

¹⁶The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

²When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

⁴The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

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

⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

⁵Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

⁹Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

⁴Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

¹⁶Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

¹⁷Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

²²Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:

²³Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

⁵And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

⁶And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

¹⁷For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

¹⁸Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

⁸Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

¹Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

²Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

³For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

¹I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

²For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

¹³Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

¹⁴Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.