Proverbs 18

¹A person who is a loner seeks his own desires.

He fights against all sound judgment.

²A fool finds no pleasure in understanding,

but only in revealing his own opinions.

³When a wicked person comes, contempt comes with him,

and with dishonor comes disgrace.

⁴The words from a man's mouth are deep waters.

The fountain of wisdom is a flowing stream.

⁵It is not good to show favoritism to a wicked person

in order to deprive a righteous person of justice.

⁶A fool's lips enter a fight,

and his mouth invites a beating.

⁷A fool's mouth is his destruction,

and his lips are a trap for his soul.

⁸The words of a gossip are like delicious food.

People gobble them right down.

⁹A person who fails to do his work

is a brother to a vandal.

¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong tower.

A righteous person runs inside and is protected.

¹¹A rich person's wealth is his strong city.

In his imagination it is like a high wall.

¹²Before destruction a man's heart is proud,

but humility comes before honor.

¹³If a person answers before he listens,

that is foolishness that brings disgrace.

¹⁴A man's spirit can endure illness,

but who can bear a broken spirit?

¹⁵A discerning heart acquires knowledge,

and the ears of the wise seek knowledge.

¹⁶A person's gift opens doors for him.[#18:16 Or makes room]

It leads him into the presence of great people.

¹⁷The first person to state his case appears to be right.

Then his neighbor comes and cross-examines him.

¹⁸Casting lots ends disputes and decides between powerful people.[#18:18 This probably does not refer to the Urim and Thummim but to ordinary ways of making a choice, like a coin toss.]

¹⁹A 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.

²⁰From the fruit of a man's mouth, his stomach is satisfied.

He is satisfied with the harvest of his lips.

²¹Life and death lie in the power of a tongue,

and those who love to use it will eat its fruit.

²²The man who finds a wife finds a good thing,

and he obtains favor from the Lord .

²³A poor man pleads for mercy,

but a rich man answers harshly.

²⁴A man with many acquaintances may suffer harm,

but there is a loving friend who sticks closer than a brother.