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Proverbs 18
Complete Jewish Bible
Proverbs 18
Complete Jewish Bible
18 He who separates himself indulges his desires
and shows contempt for sound advice of any kind.
2 A fool takes no pleasure in trying to understand;
he only wants to express his own opinion.
3 When a wicked person comes, contempt comes too,
and with disdain, provocation.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep water,
a gushing torrent, a fountain of wisdom.
5 It is not good to be partial to the guilty
and thus deprive the innocent of justice.
6 A fool’s words get him into fights;
yes, his mouth calls out for a beating.
7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin;
his words are a trap for him.
8 A slanderer’s words are tasty morsels;
they slide right down into the belly.
9 Whoever is lazy in doing his work
is brother to the destroyer.
10 The name of Adonai is a strong tower;
a righteous person runs to it and is raised high [above danger].
11 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city,
like a high wall, in his own imagination.
12 Before being ruined, a person’s heart is proud;
before being honored, a person must be humble.
13 To answer someone before hearing him out
is both stupid and embarrassing.
14 A person’s spirit can sustain him when ill,
but a crushed spirit — who can bear it?
15 The mind of a person with discernment gets knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A person’s gift clears his way
and gives him access to the great.
17 The first to state his case seems right,
till the other one comes and cross-examines.
18 Casting lots puts an end to strife
and separates powerful disputants.
19 It is harder to win an offended brother than a strong city;
their fights are like the bars of a fortress.
20 A person’s belly will be filled with the fruit of his mouth;
with what his lips produce he will be filled.
21 The tongue has power over life and death;
those who indulge it must eat its fruit.
22 He who finds a wife finds a great good;
he has won the favor of Adonai.
23 The poor man speaks beseechingly,
the rich man’s answer is blunt.
24 Some “friends” pretend to be friends,
but a true friend sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18
New International Version
Proverbs 18
New International Version
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.(A)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(B)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(E)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(H)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(I)
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)
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)
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.