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