Proverbs 18
1 He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
[Occasiones quærit qui vult recedere ab amico: omni tempore erit exprobrabilis.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
Non recipit stultus verba prudentiæ, nisi ea dixeris quæ versantur in corde ejus.
3 Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
Impius, cum in profundum venerit peccatorum, contemnit; sed sequitur eum ignominia et opprobrium.
4 The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
Aqua profunda verba ex ore viri, et torrens redundans fons sapientiæ.
5 Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
Accipere personam impii non est bonum, ut declines a veritate judicii.]
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
[Labia stulti miscent se rixis, et os ejus jurgia provocat.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
Os stulti contritio ejus, et labia ipsius ruina animæ ejus.
8 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
Verba bilinguis quasi simplicia, et ipsa perveniunt usque ad interiora ventris. Pigrum dejicit timor; animæ autem effeminatorum esurient.
9 He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
Qui mollis et dissolutus est in opere suo frater est sua opera dissipantis.
10 The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
Turris fortissima nomen Domini; ad ipsum currit justus, et exaltabitur.
11 The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
Substantia divitis urbs roboris ejus, et quasi murus validus circumdans eum.
12 The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
Antequam conteratur, exaltatur cor hominis, et antequam glorificetur, humiliatur.
13 Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
Qui prius respondet quam audiat, stultum se esse demonstrat, et confusione dignum.
14 The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
Spiritus viri sustentat imbecillitatem suam; spiritum vero ad irascendum facilem quis poterit sustinere?
15 The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
Cor prudens possidebit scientiam, et auris sapientium quærit doctrinam.]
16 The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
[Donum hominis dilatat viam ejus, et ante principes spatium ei facit.
17 The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
Justus prior est accusator sui: venit amicus ejus, et investigabit eum.
18 The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
Contradictiones comprimit sors, et inter potentes quoque dijudicat.
19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
Frater qui adjuvatur a fratre quasi civitas firma, et judicia quasi vectes urbium.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
De fructu oris viri replebitur venter ejus, et genimina labiorum ipsius saturabunt eum.
21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
Mors et vita in manu linguæ; qui diligunt eam comedent fructus ejus.
22 [Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
Qui invenit mulierem bonam invenit bonum, et hauriet jucunditatem a Domino. Qui expellit mulierem bonam expellit bonum; qui autem tenet adulteram stultus est et impius.
23 The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
Cum obsecrationibus loquetur pauper, et dives effabitur rigide.
24 A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
Vir amabilis ad societatem magis amicus erit quam frater.]
