Proverbs 18
1 He that separateth himself seeketh [his own] desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom.
Selfish people only please themselves, they attack anything that makes good sense.
2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may reveal itself.
Stupid people have no interest in trying to understand, they only want to express their opinions.
3 When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, And with ignominy [cometh] reproach.
With wickedness comes contempt; with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are [as] deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is [as] a flowing brook.
People's words can be profound like deep waters, a gushing stream that is the source of wisdom.
5 To respect the person of the wicked is not good, [Nor] to turn aside the righteous in judgment.
It's not right to show favoritism to the guilty and rob the innocent of justice.
6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for stripes.
What stupid people say gets them into fights, as if they're asking for a beating.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
Stupid people are caught out by what they say; their own words trap them.
8 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.
Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
9 He also that is slack in his work Is brother to him that is a destroyer.
Laziness and destruction are brothers.
10 The name of Jehovah is a strong tower; The righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
The Lord is a protective tower that good people can run to and be safe.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And as a high wall in his own imagination.
Rich people see their wealth as a fortified town—it's like a high wall in their imagination.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; And before honor [goeth] humility.
Pride leads to destruction; humility goes before honor.
13 He that giveth answer before he heareth, It is folly and shame unto him.
Replying before hearing is stupidity and shame.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a broken spirit who can bear?
With a brave spirit you can put up with sickness, but if it's crushed, you can't bear it.
15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
An intelligent mind acquires knowledge; the wise are ready to hear knowledge.
16 A man’s gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.
A gift opens doors for you, and gets you into the presence of important people.
17 He that pleadeth his cause first [seemeth] just; But his neighbor cometh and searcheth him out.
The first person to plead a case sounds right until someone comes to cross-examine them.
18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, And parteth between the mighty.
Casting lots can end disputes and decide between powerful people.
19 A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city; And [such] contentions are like the bars of a castle.
A brother you've offended is harder to win back than a fortified town. Arguments keep people apart like bars on the doors of a fortress.
20 A man’s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.
Make sure you're satisfied with what you say—you have to live with your words.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
What you say has the power to bring life or to kill; those who love talking will have to deal with the consequences.
22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, And obtaineth favor of Jehovah.
If you find a wife, that's great, and you'll be blessed by the Lord.
23 The poor useth entreaties; But the rich answereth roughly.
The poor beg for mercy, but the rich reply harshly.
24 He that maketh many friends [doeth it] to his own destruction; But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Some friends give up on you, but there's a friend who stays closer to you than a brother.
