Proverbs 25:3

As the heaven is high ¹  and the earth is deep so the hearts of kings are unsearchable. ² 

As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

No one can discover the height of heaven, the depth of the earth, or all that goes on in the king’s mind!

Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth, the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep.

The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.

Like the heavens for height, like the earth for depth, so the mind of kings is unsearchable.

As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

As the heaven is high ¹  and the earth is deep so the hearts of kings are unsearchable. ² 

¹ tn Heb “heavens for height and earth for depth.” The proverb is clearly intending the first line to be an illustration of the second – it is almost emblematic parallelism.

² sn The proverb is affirming a simple fact: The king’s plans and decisions are beyond the comprehension of the common people. While the king would make many things clear to the people, there are other things that are “above their heads” or “too deep for them.” They are unsearchable because of his superior wisdom, his caprice, or his need for secrecy. Inscrutability is sometimes necessary to keep a firm grip on power.