18 Whoever ^(A)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
² A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only ^(B)in expressing his opinion.
³ When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
    and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴ The words of a man's mouth are ^(C)deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵ It is not good to ^(D)be partial to^[a] the wicked
    or to ^(E)deprive the righteous of justice.
⁶ A fool's lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites ^(F)a beating.
^7 (G)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
^8 (H)The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into ^(I)the inner parts of the body.
⁹ Whoever is slack in his work
    is a ^(J)brother to him who destroys.
^10 (K)The name of the Lord is ^(L)a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and ^(M)is safe.
^11 (N)A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
    and like a high wall in his imagination.
^12 (O)Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
    but ^(P)humility comes before honor.
¹³ If one gives an answer ^(Q)before he hears,
    it is his folly and shame.
¹⁴ A man's spirit will endure sickness,
    but ^(R)a crushed spirit who can bear?
¹⁵ An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
    and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶ A man's ^(S)gift makes room for him
    and brings him before the great.
¹⁷ The one who states his case first seems right,
    until the other comes and examines him.
^18 (T)The lot puts an end to quarrels
    and decides between powerful contenders.
¹⁹ A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
    and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
^20 (U)From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
    he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
^21 (V)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.
²² He who finds ^(W)a wife finds ^(X)a good thing
    and ^(Y)obtains favor ^(Z)from the Lord.
²³ The poor use entreaties,
    but ^(AA)the rich answer roughly.
²⁴ A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but ^(AB)there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

42 ^(A)Behold ^(B)my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen, ^(C)in whom my soul delights;
^(D)I have put my Spirit upon him;
    ^(E)he will bring forth justice to the nations.
² He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
    or make it heard in the street;
^3 (F)a bruised reed he will not break,
    and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
    ^(G)he will faithfully bring forth justice.
⁴ He will not grow faint or be discouraged^[a]
    till he has established justice in the earth;
    and ^(H)the coastlands wait for his law.

^10 (R)Sing to the Lord a new song,
    his praise from the end of the earth,
^(S)you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it,
    ^(T)the coastlands and their inhabitants.
¹¹ Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice,
    the villages that ^(U)Kedar inhabits;
let the habitants of ^(V)Sela sing for joy,
    let them shout from the top of the mountains.
¹² Let them give glory to the Lord,
    and declare his praise in ^(W)the coastlands.
^13 (X)The Lord goes out like a mighty man,
    like a man of war ^(Y)he stirs up his zeal;
he cries out, ^(Z)he shouts aloud,
    he shows himself mighty against his foes.

¹⁸ Hear, you deaf,
    and look, you blind, that you may see!
¹⁹ Who is blind but my servant,
    or deaf as my messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as my dedicated one,^[d]
    or blind as the servant of the Lord?
^20 (AF)He sees many things, but does not observe them;
    ^(AG)his ears are open, but he does not hear.
²¹ The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake,
    to magnify his law and make it glorious.
²² But this is a people plundered and looted;
    they are all of them trapped in holes
    ^(AH)and hidden in prisons;
they have become plunder with none to rescue,
    spoil with none to say, “Restore!”
²³ Who among you will give ear to this,
    will attend and listen for the time to come?
²⁴ Who gave up Jacob to the looter,
    and Israel to the plunderers?
Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned,
    in whose ways they would not walk,
    and whose law they would not obey?
²⁵ So he poured on him the heat of his anger
    and the might of battle;
it set him on fire all around, ^(AI)but he did not understand;
    it burned him up, ^(AJ)but he did not take it to heart.

43 But now thus says the Lord,
^(AK)he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
^(AL)“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    ^(AM)I have called you by name, you are mine.
^2 (AN)When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
^(AO)when you walk through fire ^(AP)you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
³ For ^(AQ)I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
^(AR)I give Egypt as your ransom,
    Cush and ^(AS)Seba in exchange for you.
⁴ Because you are precious in my eyes,
    and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
    peoples in exchange for your life.
^5 (AT)Fear not, for I am with you;
    ^(AU)I will bring your offspring from the east,
    and from the west I will gather you.
⁶ I will say to the north, Give up,
    and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring ^(AV)my sons from afar
    and ^(AW)my daughters from the end of the earth,
⁷ everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,
    whom I formed and made.”