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18 He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He (A)breaks out in dispute against all sound wisdom.
A fool does not delight in discernment,
But only (B)in revealing his own heart.
When a wicked man comes, despising also comes,
And with disgrace comes reproach.
The words of a man’s mouth are (C)deep waters;
[a]The fountain of wisdom is a flowing brook.
To (D)show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to (E)thrust aside the righteous in judgment.
A fool’s lips come with strife,
And his mouth calls for (F)beatings.
A (G)fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [b]innermost parts of the stomach.
He also who is (H)slack in his work
(I)Is brother to him who destroys.
10 The (J)name of Yahweh is a (K)strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is (L)set securely on high.
11 A (M)rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own delusion.
12 (N)Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But (O)humility goes before glory.
13 He who (P)responds with a word before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.
14 The (Q)spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a (R)broken spirit, who can bear it?
15 The (S)heart of the understanding acquires knowledge,
And the (T)ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s (U)gift makes room for him
And leads him into the presence of great men.
17 The first [c]to plead his case seems right,
Until [d]another comes and examines him.
18 The cast (V)lot puts an end to contentions
And [e]decides between the mighty ones.
19 A brother offended is harder to win over than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.
20 From the [f](W)fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
(X)With the produce of his lips he will be satisfied.
21 (Y)Death and life are in the [g]power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its (Z)fruit.
22 He who finds a (AA)wife finds a good thing
And (AB)obtains favor from Yahweh.
23 The (AC)poor man speaks supplications,
But the (AD)rich man (AE)answers with strong words.
24 A man of too many friends comes to [h]ruin,
But there is (AF)a [i]friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:4 Or A bubbling brook, a fountain of wisdom
  2. Proverbs 18:8 Lit chambers of the belly
  3. Proverbs 18:17 Lit in his plea
  4. Proverbs 18:17 Lit his neighbor
  5. Proverbs 18:18 Lit makes a division
  6. Proverbs 18:20 Speech
  7. Proverbs 18:21 Lit hand
  8. Proverbs 18:24 Lit be broken in pieces
  9. Proverbs 18:24 Or lover

18 孤傲者獨善其身,
    他惱恨一切真知。
愚人不喜歡悟性,
    只喜歡發表意見。
邪惡與藐視同行,
    無恥與羞辱為伴。
人口中的話如同深水,
    智慧之泉像涓涓溪流。
袒護惡人、冤枉義人都為不善。
愚人說話引起紛爭,
    他的口招來鞭打。
愚人的口自招滅亡,
    他的嘴坑害他自己。
閒言碎語如同美食,
    深入人的五臟六腑。
懶惰人與毀壞者臭味相投。
10 耶和華的名是堅固保障,
    義人投奔其中就得安穩。
11 財富是富人的堅城,
    在他幻想中是高牆。
12 驕傲是敗亡的前奏,
    謙虛是尊榮的先鋒。
13 未聽先答的人,
    自顯愚昧和羞辱。
14 人的心靈能忍受疾病,
    誰能忍受破碎的心靈?
15 哲士的心得知識,
    智者的耳求知識。
16 禮物為人開路,
    領人晉見權貴。
17 先告狀的看似有理,
    一經對質真相大白。
18 抽籤可以平息爭端,
    調解強者間的糾紛。
19 與結怨的兄弟和解比攻城還難,
    爭端難破,如堅城的門閂。
20 人因口中所說的話而飽足,
    因嘴中所出的言語而滿足。
21 口舌能夠定生死,
    多嘴多言食惡果。
22 得到妻子就是得到珍寶,
    也是蒙了耶和華的恩惠。
23 窮人哀聲懇求,
    富人惡言相向。
24 濫交友,自招損;
    得知己,勝手足。