Proverbs 18
1 One who isolates himself seeks his own desire and he quarrels with all sound judgment.
He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but only in revealing what is in his own heart.
A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
3 When a wicked person comes, contempt comes with him— along with shame and reproach.
Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a flowing stream.
The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked person, nor to deny justice to the righteous person.
Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool's lips bring him conflict and his mouth invites a beating.
The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
7 A fool's mouth is his ruin and he ensnares himself with his lips.
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 delicious morsels and they go down into the inner parts of the body.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
9 Also, one who is slack in his work is a brother to the one who destroys the most.
He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
10 The name of Yahweh is a strong tower; the righteous person runs into it and is safe.
The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
11 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city and in his imagination it is like a high wall.
The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
12 Before his downfall a person's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
13 One who answers before listening— it is his folly and shame.
Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
14 A person's spirit will survive sickness, but a broken spirit who can bear it?
The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
15 The heart of the intelligent acquires knowledge and the hearing of the wise seeks it out.
The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man's gift may open the way and bring him before an important person.
The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
17 The first to plead his case seems right until his opponent comes and questions him.
The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes and separates strong opponents.
The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
19 An offended brother is harder to be won than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
20 From the fruit of his mouth one's stomach is filled; 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 controlled by the tongue, and those who love the tongue will eat its fruit.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and receives favor from Yahweh.
[Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
23 A poor person pleads for mercy, but a rich person answers harshly.
The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
24 The one who claims many friends is brought to ruin by them, but there is a friend who comes closer than a brother.
A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
