Proverbs 18
1 He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
He that hath a mind to depart from a friend seeketh occasions: he shall ever be subject to reproach.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart.
3 Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
The wicked man when he is come into the depth of sins, contemneth: but ignominy and reproach follow him.
4 The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
Words from the mouth of a men are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom as an overflowing stream.
5 Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to decline from the truth of judgment.
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
The lips of a fool intermeddle with strife: and his mouth provoketh quarrels.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
The mouth of a fool is his destruction: and his lips are the ruin of his soul.
8 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
The words of the double tongued are as if they were harmless: and they reach even to the inner parts of the bowels. Fear casteth down the slothful: and the souls of the effeminate shall be hungry.
9 He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works.
10 The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted.
11 The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
The substance of the rich man is the city of his strength, and as a strong wall compassing him about.
12 The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled.
13 Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
He that answereth before he heareth sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.
14 The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
The spirit of a man upholdeth his infirmity: but a spirit that is easily angered, who can bear?
15 The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the wise seeketh instruction.
16 The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
A man’s gift enlargeth his may, and maketh him room before princes.
17 The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.
18 The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
The lot suppresseth contentions, and determineth even between the mighty.
19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
Of the fruit of a man’s mouth shall his belly be satisfied: and the offspring of his lips shall fill him.
21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.
22 [Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
He that hath found a good wife, hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord. He that driveth away a good wife, driveth away a good thing: but he that keepeth an adulteress, is foolish and wicked.
23 The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
The poor will speak with supplications, and the rich will speak roughly.
24 A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
A man amiable in society, shall be more friendly than a brother.
