Proverbs 18

1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeks and intermeddles with all wisdom.

He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.

2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.

3 When the wicked comes, then comes also contempt, and with dishonour reproach.

Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.

4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.

The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.

5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.

6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for strokes.

The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.

7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.

8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

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 slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great destroyer.

He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.

10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe.

The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.

11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

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 haughty, and before honour is humility.

The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.

13 He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him.

Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.

14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?

15 The heart of the prudent gets knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.

17 He that is first in his own cause seems just; but his neighbour comes and searches him.

The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.

18 The lot causes contentions to cease, and parts between the mighty.

The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.

20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

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 they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.

22 Whoso finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favour of the LORD.

[Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.

23 The poor uses entreaties; but the rich answers roughly.

The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.

24 A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!