Proverbs 18
New American Standard Bible
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
18 One who separates himself seeks his own desire;
He [a](A)quarrels against all sound wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding,
But (B)in revealing his own [b]mind.
3 When a wicked person comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes taunting.
4 The words of a person’s mouth are (C)deep waters;
[c]The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 To (D)show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to (E)suppress the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips [d]bring strife,
And his mouth invites (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 gossiper are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [e]innermost parts of the body.
9 He also who is (H)lax in his work
(I)Is a brother to him who destroys.
10 The (J)name of the Lord is a (K)strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and (L)is [f]safe.
11 A (M)rich person’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.
12 (N)Before destruction the heart of a person is haughty,
But (O)humility goes before honor.
13 One who (P)gives an answer before he hears,
It is foolishness and shame to him.
14 The (Q)spirit of a person can endure his sickness,
But as for a (R)broken spirit, who can endure it?
15 The [g](S)mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,
And the (T)ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A person’s (U)gift makes room for him
And brings him before great people.
17 The first [h]to plead his case seems right,
Until [i]another comes and examines him.
18 The cast (V)lot puts an end to quarrels,
And [j]decides between the mighty ones.
19 A brother who is offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And quarrels are like the bars of a citadel.
20 With the [k](W)fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
(X)He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.
21 (Y)Death and life are in the [l]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 the Lord.
23 A (AC)poor person utters pleadings,
But a (AD)rich person (AE)answers defiantly.
24 A person of too many friends comes to [m]ruin,
But there is (AF)a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:1 Lit breaks out
- Proverbs 18:2 Lit heart
- Proverbs 18:4 Or A bubbling brook, a fountain of wisdom
- Proverbs 18:6 Lit come with
- Proverbs 18:8 Lit chambers of the belly
- Proverbs 18:10 Lit set on high
- Proverbs 18:15 Lit heart
- Proverbs 18:17 Lit in his plea
- Proverbs 18:17 Lit his neighbor
- Proverbs 18:18 Lit makes a division
- Proverbs 18:20 I.e., speech
- Proverbs 18:21 Lit hand
- Proverbs 18:24 Lit be broken in pieces
Proverbs 18
Common English Bible
18 Unfriendly people look out for themselves;
they bicker with sensible people.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing their opinion.
3 When the wicked arrive, so does contempt;
with shame comes insult.
4 The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,
a bubbling stream, a fountain of wisdom.
5 Favoring the wicked isn’t good;
it denies justice to the righteous.
6 The lips of fools make accusations;
their mouths elicit beatings.
7 The mouth of fools is their ruin;
their lips are a trap for their lives.
8 The words of gossips are like choice snacks;
they go down to the inmost parts.
9 Those who are lazy in their work
are brothers to thugs.
10 The Lord’s name is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and find refuge.
11 The riches of the wealthy are a strong city
and like a high wall in their imagination.
12 Pride comes before a disaster,
but humility comes before respect.
13 Those who answer before they listen
are foolish and disgraceful.
14 The human spirit sustains a sick person,
but who can bear a broken spirit?
15 An understanding mind gains knowledge;
the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A gift opens the way
for access to important people.
17 The first person to testify seems innocent,
until the other comes and cross-examines him.
18 The dice settle conflicts
and keep strong opponents apart.
19 An offended ally is more formidable than a city;
such quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
20 The stomach is satisfied
by the fruit of the mouth;
one’s lips can earn a satisfying income.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue;
those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 He who finds a wife finds what is good,
gaining favor from the Lord.
23 The poor plead for help,
but the wealthy answer harshly.
24 There are persons for companionship,
but then there are friends who are more loyal than family.
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Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible