Proverbs 18
1 An unfriendly man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
For [an object of] desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth.
2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.
A fool delighteth not in understanding, But — in uncovering his heart.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.
With the coming of the wicked come also hath contempt, And with shame — reproach.
4 The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
Deep waters [are] the words of a man's mouth, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
Acceptance of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool's lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth.
7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a gossip are like tasty morsels, and they go down into a person's innermost parts.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
9 One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
He also that is remiss in his work, A brother he [is] to a destroyer.
10 The name of YHWH is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.
A tower of strength [is] the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.
11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.
Before destruction the heart of man is high, And before honour [is] humility.
13 He who gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.
14 A man's spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?
15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.
17 He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.
Righteous [is] the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.
18 The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.
The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.
19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city; and disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
20 A man's stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of YHWH.
[Whoso] hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
[With] supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.
24 A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
A man with friends [is] to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
