18 孤傲者独善其身,
    他恼恨一切真知。
愚人不喜欢悟性,
    只喜欢发表意见。
邪恶与藐视同行,
    无耻与羞辱为伴。
人口中的话如同深水,
    智慧之泉像涓涓溪流。
袒护恶人、冤枉义人都为不善。
愚人说话引起纷争,
    他的口招来鞭打。
愚人的口自招灭亡,
    他的嘴坑害他自己。
闲言碎语如同美食,
    深入人的五脏六腑。
懒惰人与毁坏者臭味相投。
10 耶和华的名是坚固保障,
    义人投奔其中就得安稳。
11 财富是富人的坚城,
    在他幻想中是高墙。
12 骄傲是败亡的前奏,
    谦虚是尊荣的先锋。
13 未听先答的人,
    自显愚昧和羞辱。
14 人的心灵能忍受疾病,
    谁能忍受破碎的心灵?
15 哲士的心得知识,
    智者的耳求知识。
16 礼物为人开路,
    领人晋见权贵。
17 先告状的看似有理,
    一经对质真相大白。
18 抽签可以平息争端,
    调解强者间的纠纷。
19 与结怨的兄弟和解比攻城还难,
    争端难破,如坚城的门闩。
20 人因口中所说的话而饱足,
    因嘴中所出的言语而满足。
21 口舌能够定生死,
    多嘴多言食恶果。
22 得到妻子就是得到珍宝,
    也是蒙了耶和华的恩惠。
23 穷人哀声恳求,
    富人恶言相向。
24 滥交友,自招损;
    得知己,胜手足。

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

18 He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire,
He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].

When the wicked man comes [to the depth of evil], contempt [of all that is pure and good] also comes,
And with inner baseness (dishonor) comes outer shame (scorn).

The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters [copious and difficult to fathom];
The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].

To show respect to the wicked person is not good,
Nor to push aside and deprive the righteous of justice.

A fool’s lips bring contention and strife,
And his mouth invites a beating.

A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.

The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten];
They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].

He who is careless in his work
Is a brother to him who destroys.
10 
The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].
11 
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall [of protection] in his own imagination and conceit.
12 
Before disaster the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance,
But humility comes before honor.
13 
He who answers before he hears [the facts]—
It is folly and shame to him.(A)
14 
The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness,
But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?
15 
The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.
16 
A man’s gift [given in love or courtesy] makes room for him
And brings him before great men.(B)
17 
The first one to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and cross-examines him.
18 
[a]To cast lots puts an end to quarrels
And decides between powerful contenders.
19 
A brother offended is harder to win over than a fortified city,
And contentions [separating families] are like the bars of a castle.
20 
A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;
He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.
21 
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.(C)
22 
He who finds a [[b]true and faithful] wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor and approval from the Lord.(D)
23 
The poor man pleads,
But the rich man answers roughly.
24 
The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin,
But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:18 See note 16:33.
  2. Proverbs 18:22 In Jewish tradition it is said that in Israel, they used to ask a man who had married, “Matsa or motse?” “Matsa” is the Hebrew for “finds” here, where a good wife is in view, and “motse” is the word for “found” (NASB “discovered”) in Eccl 7:26.

18 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.

It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth 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 satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
    and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions.(A)

When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
    and with shame comes reproach.

The words of the mouth are deep waters,(B)
    but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

It is not good to be partial to the wicked(C)
    and so deprive the innocent of justice.(D)

The lips of fools bring them strife,
    and their mouths invite a beating.(E)

The mouths of fools are their undoing,
    and their lips are a snare(F) to their very lives.(G)

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.(H)

One who is slack in his work
    is brother to one who destroys.(I)

10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;(J)
    the righteous run to it and are safe.(K)

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)

21 The tongue has the power of life and death,(U)
    and those who love it will eat its fruit.(V)

22 He who finds a wife finds what is good(W)
    and receives favor from the Lord.(X)

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)