¹⁷ Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king listened to them.

²⁷ For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against Yahweh; and how much more after my death?

¹⁵ Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.

²⁹ For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

³⁰ Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

³² Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits].

¹² If a ruler listens to lies, All of his officials are wicked.

⁵ A man who flatters his neighbor, Spreads a net for his feet.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates those it hurts; And a flattering mouth works ruin.

⁸ As one who binds a stone in a sling, So is he who gives honor to a fool.

¹⁹ He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; Therefore don't keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

²¹ With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

²² He followed her immediately, As an ox goes to the slaughter, As a fool stepping into a noose.

²³ Until an arrow strikes through his liver, As a bird hurries to the snare, And doesn't know that it will cost his life.

³ He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab; for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.

⁴ He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did the house of Ahab; for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.

⁸ But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

⁹ He said to them, What counsel give you, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father did put on us lighter?

¹⁰ The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you tell the people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter to us; thus shall you say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.