Proverbs 18

World English Bible

18 A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness,
    and defies all sound judgment.
² A fool has no delight in understanding,
    but only in revealing his own opinion.
³ When wickedness comes, contempt also comes,
    and with shame comes disgrace.
⁴ The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters.
    The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
⁵ To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good,
    nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
⁶ A fool’s lips come into strife,
    and his mouth invites beatings.
⁷ A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
⁸ The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels:
    they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
⁹ One who is slack in his work
    is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
¹⁰ Yahweh’s name is a strong tower:
    the righteous run to him, and are safe.
¹¹ The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
    like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
¹² Before destruction the heart of man is proud,
    but before honor is humility.
¹³ He who answers before he hears,
    that is folly and shame to him.
¹⁴ A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness,
    but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
¹⁵ The heart of the discerning gets knowledge.
    The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶ A man’s gift makes room for him,
    and brings him before great men.
¹⁷ He who pleads his cause first seems right;
    until another comes and questions him.
¹⁸ The lot settles disputes,
    and keeps strong ones apart.
¹⁹ A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city.
    Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
²⁰ A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth.
    With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue;
    those who love it will eat its fruit.
²² Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing,
    and obtains favor of Yahweh.
²³ The poor plead for mercy,
    but the rich answer harshly.
²⁴ A man of many companions may be ruined,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.