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18 Occasiones quaerit qui vult recedere ab amico: omni tempore erit exprobrabilis.

Non recipit stultus verba prudentiae, nisi ea dixeris quae versantur in corde ejus.

Impius, cum in profundum venerit peccatorum, contemnit; sed sequitur eum ignominia et opprobrium.

Aqua profunda verba ex ore viri, et torrens redundans fons sapientiae.

Accipere personam impii non est bonum, ut declines a veritate judicii.

Labia stulti miscent se rixis, et os ejus jurgia provocat.

Os stulti contritio ejus, et labia ipsius ruina animae ejus.

Verba bilinguis quasi simplicia, et ipsa perveniunt usque ad interiora ventris. Pigrum dejicit timor; animae autem effeminatorum esurient.

Qui mollis et dissolutus est in opere suo frater est sua opera dissipantis.

10 Turris fortissima nomen Domini; ad ipsum currit justus, et exaltabitur.

11 Substantia divitis urbs roboris ejus, et quasi murus validus circumdans eum.

12 Antequam conteratur, exaltatur cor hominis, et antequam glorificetur, humiliatur.

13 Qui prius respondet quam audiat, stultum se esse demonstrat, et confusione dignum.

14 Spiritus viri sustentat imbecillitatem suam; spiritum vero ad irascendum facilem quis poterit sustinere?

15 Cor prudens possidebit scientiam, et auris sapientium quaerit doctrinam.

16 Donum hominis dilatat viam ejus, et ante principes spatium ei facit.

17 Justus prior est accusator sui: venit amicus ejus, et investigabit eum.

18 Contradictiones comprimit sors, et inter potentes quoque dijudicat.

19 Frater qui adjuvatur a fratre quasi civitas firma, et judicia quasi vectes urbium.

20 De fructu oris viri replebitur venter ejus, et genimina labiorum ipsius saturabunt eum.

21 Mors et vita in manu linguae; qui diligunt eam comedent fructus ejus.

22 Qui invenit mulierem bonam invenit bonum, et hauriet jucunditatem a Domino. Qui expellit mulierem bonam expellit bonum; qui autem tenet adulteram stultus est et impius.

23 Cum obsecrationibus loquetur pauper, et dives effabitur rigide.

24 Vir amabilis ad societatem magis amicus erit quam frater.

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)