Proverbs 18
Evangelical Heritage Version
18 A person who is a loner seeks his own desires.
He fights against all sound judgment.
2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding,
but only in revealing his own opinions.
3 When a wicked person comes, contempt comes with him,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 The words from a man’s mouth are deep waters.
The fountain of wisdom is a flowing stream.
5 It is not good to show favoritism to a wicked person
in order to deprive a righteous person of justice.
6 A fool’s lips enter a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
and his lips are a trap for his soul.[a]
8 The words of a gossip are like delicious food.
People gobble them right down.[b]
9 A person who fails to do his work
is a brother to a vandal.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
A righteous person runs inside and is protected.
11 A rich person’s wealth is his strong city.
In his imagination it is like a high wall.
12 Before destruction a man’s heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.
13 If a person answers before he listens,
that is foolishness that brings disgrace.
14 A man’s spirit can endure illness,
but who can bear a broken spirit?
15 A discerning heart acquires knowledge,
and the ears of the wise seek knowledge.
16 A person’s gift opens doors[c] for him.
It leads him into the presence of great people.
17 The first person to state his case appears to be right.
Then his neighbor comes and cross-examines him.
18 Casting lots[d] ends disputes and decides between powerful people.
19 A brother who has been wronged is harder to regain than a strong city,
and disputes are like a bar across the gate of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth, his stomach is satisfied.
He is satisfied with the harvest of his lips.
21 Life and death lie in the power of a tongue,
and those who love to use it will eat its fruit.
22 The man who finds a wife finds a good thing,
and he obtains favor from the Lord.
23 A poor man pleads for mercy,
but a rich man answers harshly.
24 A man with many acquaintances may suffer harm,
but there is a loving friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:7 Or his life
- Proverbs 18:8 Literally they go down to the rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 18:16 Or makes room
- Proverbs 18:18 This probably does not refer to the Urim and Thummim but to ordinary ways of making a choice, like a coin toss.
Proverbs 18
Lexham English Bible
18 He who is selfish seeks a craving;[a]
against all sound judgment he shows contempt.
2 A fool will not take pleasure in understanding,
but in expressing his heart.[b]
3 With the coming of wickedness comes contempt also,
and with dishonor, disgrace.
4 Deep waters are words of the mouth of a man;
a gushing stream is a fountain of wisdom.
5 Being partial to faces of evil is not good,
nor to subvert the righteous at the judgment.
6 The lips of a fool will bring strife,
and his mouth calls out for a flogging.
7 The mouth of a fool is ruin to him,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.[c]
8 The words of a whisper are like delicious morsels,
and they themselves go down to inner parts of the body.
9 Even he who is slack in his work,
he is brother to a master[d] of destruction.
10 A tower of strength is the name of Yahweh;
into him[e] the righteous will run and be safe.
11 The wealth of the rich is his strong city,[f]
and like a wall, it is high in his imagination.
12 In the presence of destruction, the heart[g] of a man will be haughty,
but in the presence of honor, humble.
13 He who returns a word before he will hear,
folly itself belongs to him as well as[h] shame.
14 The spirit of a man will endure his sickness,
but a broken spirit, who may bear it?
15 An intelligent mind[i] will acquire knowledge,
and the ear of the wise will seek knowledge.
16 The gift of a person will open doors for him,
and before the great, it gives him access.
17 The first in his dispute is deemed righteous,
but his neighbor will come and examine him.
18 The lot will put an end to disputes,
and between powerful contenders it will decide.
19 A brother who is offended is worse than a city of strength,
and quarrels are like the bars of a fortification.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth, his stomach will be satisfied,
as for the yield of his lips, it will satisfy.
21 Death and life are in the power[j] of the tongue,
and those who love her[k] will eat of her fruit.
22 He who finds a wife[l] finds good,
and he will obtain favor from Yahweh.
23 The poor may speak entreaties,
but the rich will answer roughly.
24 A man of many friends will come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:1 Or “boundary”
- Proverbs 18:2 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 18:7 Or “life,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 18:9 Or “owner”
- Proverbs 18:10 Or “it”
- Proverbs 18:11 Literally “a city of his strength”
- Proverbs 18:12 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 18:13 Hebrew “and”
- Proverbs 18:15 Literally “heart”
- Proverbs 18:21 Literally “hand”
- Proverbs 18:21 That is, the power of the tongue
- Proverbs 18:22 Or “woman”
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