Proverbs 18 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible Classic
[1] 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.
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.
King James Version
[1] Through desire H8378 a man, having separated H6504 (NiphPtc) himself, seeketh H1245 (PielImpf)
And intermeddleth H1566 (HithImpf) with all wisdom. H8454§
[2] A fool H3684 hath no delight H2654 (QalImpf) in understanding, H8394
But that his heart H3820 may discover H1540 (HithInf) itself.
[3] When the wicked H7563 cometh, H935 (QalInf) then cometh H935 (QalPerf) also contempt, H937
And with ignominy H7036 reproach. H2781
[4] The words H1697 of a man’s H376 mouth H6310 are as deep H6013 waters, H4325
And the wellspring H4726 of wisdom H2451 as a flowing H5042 (QalActPtc) brook. H5158
[5] It is not good H2896 to accept H5375 (QalInf) the person H6440 of the wicked, H7563
To overthrow H5186 (HiphInf) the righteous H6662 in judgment. H4941
[6] A fool’s H3684 lips H8193 enter H935 (QalImpf) into contention, H7379
And his mouth H6310 calleth H7121 (QalImpf) for strokes. H4112
[7] A fool’s H3684 mouth H6310 is his destruction, H4288
And his lips H8193 are the snare H4170 of his soul. H5315
[8] The words H1697 of a talebearer H5372§ are as wounds,§ H3859 (HithPtc)
And they go down H3381 (QalPerf) into the innermost parts H2315§ of the belly. H990
[9] He also that is slothful H7503 (HithPtc) in his work H4399
Is brother H251 to him that is a great H1167 waster. H7843 (HiphPtc)
[10] The name H8034 of the Lord H3068 is a strong H5797 tower: H4026
The righteous H6662 runneth H7323 (QalImpf) into it, and is safe. H7682 (NiphPerf)§
[11] The rich man’s H6223 wealth H1952 is his strong H5797 city, H7151
And as an high H7682 (NiphPtc) wall H2346 in his own conceit. H4906
[12] Before H6440 destruction H7667 the heart H3820 of man H376 is haughty, H1361 (QalImpf)
And before H6440 honour H3519 is humility. H6038
[13] He that answereth H7725 (HiphPtc) a matter H1697§ before he heareth H8085 (QalImpf) it,
It is folly H200 and shame H3639 unto him.
[14] The spirit H7307 of a man H376 will sustain H3557 (PilpImpf) his infirmity; H4245
But a wounded H5218 spirit H7307 who can bear? H5375 (QalImpf)
[15] The heart H3820 of the prudent H995 (NiphPtc) getteth H7069 (QalImpf) knowledge; H1847
And the ear H241 of the wise H2450 seeketh H1245 (PielImpf) knowledge. H1847
[16] A man’s H120 gift H4976 maketh room H7337 (HiphImpf) for him,
And bringeth H5148 (HiphImpf) him before H6440 great men. H1419
[17] He that is first H7223 in his own cause H7379 seemeth just; H6662
But his neighbour H7453 cometh H935 (QalPerf/Qere) and searcheth H2713 (QalPerf) him.
[18] The lot H1486 causeth contentions H4079 to cease, H7673 (HiphImpf)
And parteth H6504 (HiphImpf) between the mighty. H6099
[19] A brother H251 offended H6586 (NiphPtc) is harder to be won than a strong H5797 city: H7151
And their contentions H4079 (Qere) are like the bars H1280 of a castle. H759
[20] A man’s H376 belly H990 shall be satisfied H7646 (QalImpf) with the fruit H6529 of his mouth; H6310
And with the increase H8393 of his lips H8193 shall he be filled. H7646 (QalImpf)
[21] Death H4194 and life H2416 are in the power H3027 of the tongue: H3956
And they that love H157 (QalActPtc) it shall eat H398 (QalImpf) the fruit H6529 thereof.
[22] Whoso findeth H4672 (QalPerf) a wife H802 findeth H4672 (QalPerf) a good H2896 thing,
And obtaineth H6329 (HiphImpf) favour H7522 of the Lord. H3068
[23] The poor H7326 (QalActPtc) useth H1696 (PielImpf) intreaties; H8469
But the rich H6223 answereth H6030 (QalImpf) roughly. H5794
[24] A man H376 that hath friends H7453 must shew himself friendly: H7489 (HiplInf)
And there is H3426 a friend H157 (QalActPtc) that sticketh closer H1695 than a brother. H251
And intermeddleth H1566 (HithImpf) with all wisdom. H8454§
[2] A fool H3684 hath no delight H2654 (QalImpf) in understanding, H8394
But that his heart H3820 may discover H1540 (HithInf) itself.
[3] When the wicked H7563 cometh, H935 (QalInf) then cometh H935 (QalPerf) also contempt, H937
And with ignominy H7036 reproach. H2781
[4] The words H1697 of a man’s H376 mouth H6310 are as deep H6013 waters, H4325
And the wellspring H4726 of wisdom H2451 as a flowing H5042 (QalActPtc) brook. H5158
[5] It is not good H2896 to accept H5375 (QalInf) the person H6440 of the wicked, H7563
To overthrow H5186 (HiphInf) the righteous H6662 in judgment. H4941
[6] A fool’s H3684 lips H8193 enter H935 (QalImpf) into contention, H7379
And his mouth H6310 calleth H7121 (QalImpf) for strokes. H4112
[7] A fool’s H3684 mouth H6310 is his destruction, H4288
And his lips H8193 are the snare H4170 of his soul. H5315
[8] The words H1697 of a talebearer H5372§ are as wounds,§ H3859 (HithPtc)
And they go down H3381 (QalPerf) into the innermost parts H2315§ of the belly. H990
[9] He also that is slothful H7503 (HithPtc) in his work H4399
Is brother H251 to him that is a great H1167 waster. H7843 (HiphPtc)
[10] The name H8034 of the Lord H3068 is a strong H5797 tower: H4026
The righteous H6662 runneth H7323 (QalImpf) into it, and is safe. H7682 (NiphPerf)§
[11] The rich man’s H6223 wealth H1952 is his strong H5797 city, H7151
And as an high H7682 (NiphPtc) wall H2346 in his own conceit. H4906
[12] Before H6440 destruction H7667 the heart H3820 of man H376 is haughty, H1361 (QalImpf)
And before H6440 honour H3519 is humility. H6038
[13] He that answereth H7725 (HiphPtc) a matter H1697§ before he heareth H8085 (QalImpf) it,
It is folly H200 and shame H3639 unto him.
[14] The spirit H7307 of a man H376 will sustain H3557 (PilpImpf) his infirmity; H4245
But a wounded H5218 spirit H7307 who can bear? H5375 (QalImpf)
[15] The heart H3820 of the prudent H995 (NiphPtc) getteth H7069 (QalImpf) knowledge; H1847
And the ear H241 of the wise H2450 seeketh H1245 (PielImpf) knowledge. H1847
[16] A man’s H120 gift H4976 maketh room H7337 (HiphImpf) for him,
And bringeth H5148 (HiphImpf) him before H6440 great men. H1419
[17] He that is first H7223 in his own cause H7379 seemeth just; H6662
But his neighbour H7453 cometh H935 (QalPerf/Qere) and searcheth H2713 (QalPerf) him.
[18] The lot H1486 causeth contentions H4079 to cease, H7673 (HiphImpf)
And parteth H6504 (HiphImpf) between the mighty. H6099
[19] A brother H251 offended H6586 (NiphPtc) is harder to be won than a strong H5797 city: H7151
And their contentions H4079 (Qere) are like the bars H1280 of a castle. H759
[20] A man’s H376 belly H990 shall be satisfied H7646 (QalImpf) with the fruit H6529 of his mouth; H6310
And with the increase H8393 of his lips H8193 shall he be filled. H7646 (QalImpf)
[21] Death H4194 and life H2416 are in the power H3027 of the tongue: H3956
And they that love H157 (QalActPtc) it shall eat H398 (QalImpf) the fruit H6529 thereof.
[22] Whoso findeth H4672 (QalPerf) a wife H802 findeth H4672 (QalPerf) a good H2896 thing,
And obtaineth H6329 (HiphImpf) favour H7522 of the Lord. H3068
[23] The poor H7326 (QalActPtc) useth H1696 (PielImpf) intreaties; H8469
But the rich H6223 answereth H6030 (QalImpf) roughly. H5794
[24] A man H376 that hath friends H7453 must shew himself friendly: H7489 (HiplInf)
And there is H3426 a friend H157 (QalActPtc) that sticketh closer H1695 than a brother. H251
Footnotes
- § 18:1 Or, he that seperateth himself, seeketh according to his desire, and intermedleth in every business
- § 18:8a Or, whisperer
- § 18:8b Or, like as when men are wounded
- § 18:8c Heb. chambers
- § 18:10 Heb. set aloft
- § 18:13 Heb. returneth a word
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