Proverbs 18 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible
Proverbs 18 (WEBP)
[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.
Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.
King James w/Strong’s #s
Proverbs 18 (KJVS)
[1] Through desire H8378 a man, having separated H6504 (8737) himself, seeketh H1245 (8762) [and] intermeddleth H1566 (8691) with all wisdom H8454.
[2] A fool H3684 hath no delight H2654 (8799) in understanding H8394, but that his heart H3820 may discover H1540 (8692) itself.
[3] When the wicked H7563 cometh H935 (8800), [then] cometh H935 (8804) 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 (8802) brook H5158.
[5] [It is] not good H2896 to accept H5375 (8800) the person H6440 of the wicked H7563, to overthrow H5186 (8687) the righteous H6662 in judgment H4941.
[6] A fool’s H3684 lips H8193 enter H935 (8799) into contention H7379, and his mouth H6310 calleth H7121 (8799) 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 (8693), and they go down H3381 (8804) into the innermost parts H2315 of the belly H990.
[9] He also that is slothful H7503 (8693) in his work H4399 is brother H251 to him that is a great H1167 waster H7843 (8688).
[10] The name H8034 of the LORD H3068 [is] a strong H5797 tower H4026: the righteous H6662 runneth H7323 (8799) into it, and is safe H7682 (8738).
[11] The rich man’s H6223 wealth H1952 [is] his strong H5797 city H7151, and as an high H7682 (8737) wall H2346 in his own conceit H4906.
[12] Before H6440 destruction H7667 the heart H3820 of man H376 is haughty H1361 (8799), and before H6440 honour H3519 [is] humility H6038.
[13] He that answereth H7725 (8688) a matter H1697 before he heareth H8085 (8799) [it], it [is] folly H200 and shame H3639 unto him.
[14] The spirit H7307 of a man H376 will sustain H3557 (8770) his infirmity H4245; but a wounded H5218 spirit H7307 who can bear H5375 (8799)?
[15] The heart H3820 of the prudent H995 (8737) getteth H7069 (8799) knowledge H1847; and the ear H241 of the wise H2450 seeketh H1245 (8762) knowledge H1847.
[16] A man’s H120 gift H4976 maketh room H7337 (8686) for him, and bringeth H5148 (8686) 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 (8804) (8675) H935 (8799) and searcheth H2713 (8804) him.
[18] The lot H1486 causeth contentions H4079 to cease H7673 (8686), and parteth H6504 (8686) between the mighty H6099.
[19] A brother H251 offended H6586 (8737) [is harder to be won] than a strong H5797 city H7151: and [their] contentions H4079 (8675) H4066 [are] like the bars H1280 of a castle H759.
[20] A man’s H376 belly H990 shall be satisfied H7646 (8799) with the fruit H6529 of his mouth H6310; [and] with the increase H8393 of his lips H8193 shall he be filled H7646 (8799).
[21] Death H4194 and life H2416 [are] in the power H3027 of the tongue H3956: and they that love H157 (8802) it shall eat H398 (8799) the fruit H6529 thereof.
[22] [Whoso] findeth H4672 (8804) a wife H802 findeth H4672 (8804) a good H2896 [thing], and obtaineth H6329 (8686) favour H7522 of the LORD H3068.
[23] The poor H7326 (8802) useth H1696 (8762) intreaties H8469; but the rich H6223 answereth H6030 (8799) roughly H5794.
[24] A man H376 [that hath] friends H7453 must shew himself friendly H7489 (8710): and there is H3426 a friend H157 (8802) [that] sticketh closer H1695 than a brother H251.
Young’s Literal Translation
Proverbs 18 (YLT)
[1] For an object of desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth.
[2] A fool delighteth not in understanding, But-in uncovering his heart.
[3] With the coming of the wicked come also hath contempt, And with shame-reproach.
[4] Deep waters are the words of a man’s mouth, The fountain of wisdom is a flowing brook.
[5] Acceptance of the face of the wicked is not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
[6] The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth.
[7] The mouth of a fool is ruin to him, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
[8] The words of a tale-bearer are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart.
[9] He also that is remiss in his work, A brother he is to a destroyer.
[10] A tower of strength is the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.
[11] The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
[12] Before destruction the heart of man is high, And before honour is humility.
[13] Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.
[14] The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?
[15] The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
[16] The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.
[17] Righteous is the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.
[18] The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.
[19] A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
[20] From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, From the increase of his lips he is satisfied.
[21] Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
[22] Whoso hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
[23] With supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.
[24] A man with friends is to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!