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Proverbs 18
Legacy Standard Bible
Proverbs 18
Legacy Standard Bible
18 He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He (A)breaks out in dispute against all sound wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in discernment,
But only (B)in revealing his own heart.
3 When a wicked man comes, despising also comes,
And with disgrace comes reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are (C)deep waters;
[a]The fountain of wisdom is a flowing brook.
5 To (D)show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to (E)thrust aside the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips come with strife,
And his mouth calls for (F)beatings.
7 A (G)fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [b]innermost parts of the stomach.
9 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
- Proverbs 18:4 Or A bubbling brook, a fountain of wisdom
- Proverbs 18:8 Lit chambers of the belly
- Proverbs 18:17 Lit in his plea
- Proverbs 18:17 Lit his neighbor
- Proverbs 18:18 Lit makes a division
- Proverbs 18:20 Speech
- Proverbs 18:21 Lit hand
- Proverbs 18:24 Lit be broken in pieces
- Proverbs 18:24 Or lover
Proverbs 18
Jubilee Bible 2000
Proverbs 18
Jubilee Bible 2000
18 ¶ Whosoever goes astray seeks according to his own lust and shall meddle with every doctrine.
2 ¶ A fool has no delight in understanding, but in that which his own heart discovers.
3 ¶ When the wicked comes, then comes also contempt, and with him who dishonours, reproach.
4 ¶ The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
5 ¶ To respect the person of the wicked so that the righteous loses that which is rightfully his is not good.
6 ¶ A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for strokes.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 ¶ The words of a talebearer seem smooth, but they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 ¶ He also that is negligent in his work is brother to him that is the great spendthrift.
10 ¶ The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous shall run into it, and be raised up.
11 ¶ The rich man’s wealth is his strong city and as a high wall in his imagination.
12 ¶ Before being broken, the heart of man is haughty, and before coming into honour, comes being brought to humility.
13 ¶ For him that answers a word before he hears, it is folly and reproach unto him.
14 ¶ The spirit of man will bear his infirmity, but a broken spirit who can bear?
15 ¶ The heart of the man of understanding acquires wisdom, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 ¶ A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.
17 ¶ The one who is just is first in his cause, his adversary comes and seeks him out.
18 ¶ The lot causes contentions to cease and decides between the mighty.
19 ¶ A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20 ¶ A man’s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth, and with the product of his lips shall he be filled.
21 ¶ Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those that love it shall eat its fruit.
22 ¶ Whosoever found a wife found a good thing and has attained the favour of the LORD.
23 ¶ The poor uses intreaties, but the rich answer roughly.
24 ¶ The man that has friends must show himself to be a friend, and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18
New International Version
Proverbs 18
New International Version
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.(A)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(B)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(E)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(H)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(I)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(L)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(M)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(N)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(O)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(P)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(Q) opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes(R)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(S) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.(T)
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(Y)
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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