Proverbs 18
1 He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.
He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions.
A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
3 With a wicked man comes contempt as well, and shame is accompanied by disgrace.
Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
5 Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice.
Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.
The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
9 Whoever is slothful in his work is brother to him who destroys.
He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
11 A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; it is like a high wall in his imagination.
The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
12 Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
13 He who answers a matter before he hears it— this is folly and disgrace to him.
Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
14 The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?
The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it out.
The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.
The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
17 The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
18 Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
19 An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city, and disputes are like the bars of a castle.
A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
20 From the fruit of his mouth a man’s belly is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
[Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
23 The poor man pleads for mercy, but the rich man answers harshly.
The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
