18 A person who is a loner seeks his own desires.
He fights against all sound judgment.
2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding,
but only in revealing his own opinions.
3 When a wicked person comes, contempt comes with him,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 The words from a man’s mouth are deep waters.
The fountain of wisdom is a flowing stream.
5 It is not good to show favoritism to a wicked person
in order to deprive a righteous person of justice.
6 A fool’s lips enter a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
and his lips are a trap for his soul.[a]
8 The words of a gossip are like delicious food.
People gobble them right down.[b]
9 A person who fails to do his work
is a brother to a vandal.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
A righteous person runs inside and is protected.
11 A rich person’s wealth is his strong city.
In his imagination it is like a high wall.
12 Before destruction a man’s heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.
13 If a person answers before he listens,
that is foolishness that brings disgrace.
14 A man’s spirit can endure illness,
but who can bear a broken spirit?
15 A discerning heart acquires knowledge,
and the ears of the wise seek knowledge.
16 A person’s gift opens doors[c] for him.
It leads him into the presence of great people.
17 The first person to state his case appears to be right.
Then his neighbor comes and cross-examines him.
18 Casting lots[d] ends disputes and decides between powerful people.
19 A brother who has been wronged is harder to regain than a strong city,
and disputes are like a bar across the gate of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth, his stomach is satisfied.
He is satisfied with the harvest of his lips.
21 Life and death lie in the power of a tongue,
and those who love to use it will eat its fruit.
22 The man who finds a wife finds a good thing,
and he obtains favor from the Lord.
23 A poor man pleads for mercy,
but a rich man answers harshly.
24 A man with many acquaintances may suffer harm,
but there is a loving friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:7 Or his life
- Proverbs 18:8 Literally they go down to the rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 18:16 Or makes room
- Proverbs 18:18 This probably does not refer to the Urim and Thummim but to ordinary ways of making a choice, like a coin toss.