¹One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires;

he rebels against all sound wisdom.

²A fool does not delight in understanding,

but only wants to show off his opinions. ,

³When a wicked person comes, contempt also comes,

and along with dishonour, derision.

⁴The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,[#18:4 Pr 20:5]

a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.

⁵It is not good to show partiality to the guilty,[#18:5 Lv 19:15; Dt 1:17; 24:17; Ps 15:5; 82:2; Pr 24:23–24; 28:21]

denying an innocent person justice.

⁶A fool’s lips lead to strife,

and his mouth provokes a beating.

⁷A fool’s mouth is his devastation,

and his lips are a trap for his life.

⁸A gossip’s words are like delicacies

that go down to one’s innermost being. ,

⁹The one who is lazy in his work

is brother to a vandal. ,

¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong tower;[#18:10 Ps 18:2; 61:3; 91:2; 144:2]

the righteous run to it and are protected. ,

¹¹The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;

in his imagination it is like a high wall.

¹²Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud,[#18:12 Pr 16:18]

but humility comes before honour.

¹³The one who gives an answer before he listens –

this is foolishness and disgrace for him.

¹⁴A person’s spirit can endure sickness,

but who can survive a broken spirit?

¹⁵The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,

and the ear of the wise seeks it.

¹⁶A person’s gift opens doors for him[#18:16 Lit gift makes room]

and brings him before the great.

¹⁷The first to state his case seems right

until another comes and cross-examines him.

¹⁸Casting the lot ends quarrels[#18:18 Pr 16:33]

and separates powerful opponents.

¹⁹An offended brother is harder to reach[#18:19 LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read is stronger]

than a fortified city,

and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.

²⁰From the fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;

he is filled with the product of his lips.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.

²²A man who finds a wife finds a good thing[#18:22 Pr 12:4; 19:14; 31:10–31]

and obtains favour from the Lord .

²³The poor person pleads,[#18:23 Pr 19:7]

but the rich one answers roughly.

²⁴One with many friends may be harmed,[#18:24 Some LXX mss, Syr, Tg, Vg read friends must be friendly]

but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.