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

Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.

Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.

Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.

Take away impiety from the face of the king, and his throne shall be made firm by justice.

The interpretation of the proverb of Proverbs 25:4. The king himself, like the Lord whom he represents, is to sit as "a refiner of silver" Malachi 3:3.

Take (g) away the wicked [from] before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
(g) It is not enough that he is pure himself, but that he put away others who are corrupted.

Take away the wicked from before the king,.... Wicked ministers and counsellors; they are the "dross", worthless and useless; yea, hurtful and pernicious. The king is the "refiner", for whom the vessel is; the kingdom is the silver vessel refined; and which becomes much the better, when wicked men are removed from the court and cabinet council of kings; as well as the king is the happier, and his throne more firm and secure, as follows:
and his throne shall be established in righteousness; which he shall execute, wicked ministers being removed from him, who advised him to take unrighteous measures; and others being put in their room, who counsel him to do acts of justice; whereby his throne is secured, and he sits firm upon it, which before was tottering and shaking, and lie in great danger of being removed from it.

before--or, "in presence of," as courtiers stood about a king.