Proverbs 18-19

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.

⁵ It is not good to be partial to the wicked^(C)
    and so deprive the innocent of justice.^(D)

⁶ The lips of fools bring them strife,
    and their mouths invite a beating.^(E)

⁷ The mouths of fools are their undoing,
    and their lips are a snare^(F) to their very lives.^(G)

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)

¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;^(J)
    the righteous run to it and are safe.^(K)

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)

²¹ The tongue has the power of life and death,^(U)
    and those who love it will eat its fruit.^(V)

²² He who finds a wife finds what is good^(W)
    and receives favor from the Lord.^(X)

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)

19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.^(Z)

² Desire without knowledge is not good—
    how much more will hasty feet miss the way!^(AA)

³ A person’s own folly^(AB) leads to their ruin,
    yet their heart rages against the Lord.^(AC)

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.^(AD)

⁵ A false witness^(AE) will not go unpunished,^(AF)
    and whoever pours out lies will not go free.^(AG)

⁶ Many curry favor with a ruler,^(AH)
    and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.^(AI)

⁷ The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!^(AJ)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.^[a](AK)

⁸ The one who gets wisdom loves life;
    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.^(AL)

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and whoever pours out lies will perish.^(AM)

¹⁰ It is not fitting for a fool^(AN) to live in luxury—
    how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!^(AO)

¹¹ A person’s wisdom yields patience;^(AP)
    it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

¹² A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,^(AQ)
    but his favor is like dew^(AR) on the grass.^(AS)

¹³ A foolish child is a father’s ruin,^(AT)
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.^(AU)

¹⁴ Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,^(AV)
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.^(AW)

¹⁵ Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.^(AX)

¹⁶ Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
    but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.^(AY)

¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,^(AZ)
    and he will reward them for what they have done.^(BA)

¹⁸ Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
    do not be a willing party to their death.^(BB)

¹⁹ A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
    rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept discipline,^(BC)
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.^(BD)

²¹ Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.^(BE)

²² What a person desires is unfailing love^[b];
    better to be poor than a liar.

²³ The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by trouble.^(BF)

²⁴ A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not even bring it back to his mouth!^(BG)

²⁵ Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
    rebuke the discerning,^(BH) and they will gain knowledge.^(BI)

²⁶ Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother^(BJ)
    is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

²⁷ Stop listening to instruction, my son,^(BK)
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.^(BL)

²⁹ Penalties are prepared for mockers,
    and beatings for the backs of fools.^(BM)