Proverbs 18
1 He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeks and intermeddles with all wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
A fool has no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
3 Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
When the wicked comes, then comes also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
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 overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for strokes.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare 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 a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
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 righteous runs into it, and is safe.
11 The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
12 The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility.
13 Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him.
14 The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15 The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
The heart of the prudent gets knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
17 The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
He that is first in his own cause seems just; but his neighbor comes and searches him.
18 The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
The lot causes contentions to cease, and parts between the mighty.
19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
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: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22 [Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the LORD.
23 The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
The poor uses entreaties; but the rich answers roughly.
24 A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
