Proverbs 18
1 He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh [and] intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may reveal itself.
3 Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
When the wicked cometh, [then] cometh 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 well-spring 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 calleth 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 tale-bearer [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 runneth 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 a 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 answereth a matter before he heareth [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 getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth 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 [seemeth] just; but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him.
18 The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth 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 of it.
22 [Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
[Whoever] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favor from the LORD.
23 The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
The poor useth entreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
A man [that hath] friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.
