Proverbs 18
New King James Version
The Name of the Lord Is a Strong Tower
18 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all [a]wise judgment.
2 A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his (A)own heart.
3 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;
And with dishonor comes reproach.
5 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in (D)judgment.
6 A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
7 (E)A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his (F)soul.
8 (G)The words of a [b]talebearer are like [c]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the [d]inmost body.
9 He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong (H)tower;
The righteous run to it and are [e]safe.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.
12 (I)Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility.
13 He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,
But who can bear a broken spirit?
15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 (J)A man’s gift makes room for him,
And brings him before great men.
17 The first one to plead his cause seems right,
Until his neighbor comes and examines him.
18 Casting (K)lots causes contentions to cease,
And keeps the mighty apart.
19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20 (L)A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;
From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.
21 (M)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 (N)He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.
23 The poor man uses entreaties,
But the rich answers (O)roughly.
24 A man who has friends [f]must himself be friendly,
(P)But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:1 sound wisdom
- Proverbs 18:8 gossip or slanderer
- Proverbs 18:8 A Jewish tradition wounds
- Proverbs 18:8 Lit. rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 18:10 secure, lit. set on high
- Proverbs 18:24 So with Gr. mss., Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT may come to ruin
Proverbs 18
21st Century King James Version
18 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, unless his heart may discover itself.
3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt; and with ignominy, reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for blows.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 He that is slothful in his work is a 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 stronghold, and as a high wall in his own conceit.
12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor 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 first states his own cause seemeth just, but then his neighbor cometh and searcheth him.
18 Casting lots causeth contentions to cease, and parteth the strife of the mighty.
19 An offended brother is harder to be won back than a stronghold city, and his 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 harvest 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 Whosoever findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth the favor of the Lord.
23 The poor useth entreaties, but the rich answereth roughly.
24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.