Proverbs 18

¹A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness,

²A fool has no delight in understanding,

³When wickedness comes, contempt also comes,

⁴The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters.

⁵To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good,

⁶A fool’s lips come into strife,

⁷A fool’s mouth is his destruction,

⁸The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels:

⁹One who is slack in his work

¹⁰Yahweh’s name is a strong tower:

¹¹The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is proud,

¹³He who answers before he hears,

¹⁴A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness,

¹⁵The heart of the discerning gets knowledge.

¹⁶A man’s gift makes room for him,

¹⁷He who pleads his cause first seems right—

¹⁸The lot settles disputes,

¹⁹A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city.

²⁰A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth.

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

²²Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing,

²³The poor plead for mercy,

²⁴A man of many companions may be ruined,