Proverbs 18
1 He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
A man seeketh, for satisfaction, going his own way, through all safe counsel, he breaketh.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
A dullard, delighteth not, in understanding, in nothing save the exposing of his own heart.
3 Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
When the lawless man cometh in, then cometh also contempt, and, with shame, reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
Deep waters, are the words of a man’s mouth, —a bubbling brook, the well-spring of wisdom.
5 Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
To prefer a lawless man, is not good, thrusting away the righteous, in judgment.
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
the lips of a dullard, enter into contention, and his mouth, for blows, crieth out.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
The mouth of a dullard, is his ruin, and, his lips, are a snare to 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 tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
9 He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
Surely he that is slothful in his work, brother, is he to a master at laying waste.
10 The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
A tower of strength, is the Name of Yahweh, thereinto, runneth the righteous, 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 substance of a rich man, is his strong city, and like a high wall, in his imagination.
12 The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
Before grievous injury, a man’s heart is haughty, and, before honour, is humility.
13 Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
He that answereth before he heareth, a folly, it is to him, and, a reproach.
14 The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
The spirit of a man, sustaineth his sickness, but, a dejected spirit, who can bear it?
15 The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
the heart of the intelligent, acquireth knowledge, yea, the ear of the wise, seeketh knowledge.
16 The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
The gift of a man, maketh room for him, and, before great men, setteth him down.
17 The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
Righteous is he that is first in his own cause, then cometh his neighbour, and thoroughly searcheth him.
18 The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
The lot causeth, contentions, to cease, and, the mighty, it parteth.
19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
A brother estranged, [is worse] than a strong city, —and, contentions, are as the bar of a citadel.
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 inmost mind be satisfied, with the product of his lips, shall he be satisfied.
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, its friends, shall eat its fruits.
22 [Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
Who hath found a wife, hath found a blessing, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh.
23 The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
Supplications, doth the poor man utter, but, the rich, answereth fiercely.
24 A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
A man having [many] friends, shall come to ruin, but there is a loving one, who sticketh closer than a brother.
