Proverbs 18:12–19:13

12  mBefore destruction a man’s heart is haughty,

but nhumility comes before honor.

13  If one gives an answer obefore he hears,

it is his folly and shame.

14  A man’s spirit will endure sickness,

but pa crushed spirit who can bear?

15  An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,

and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16  A man’s qgift makes room for him

and brings him before the great.

17  The one who states his case first seems right,

until the other comes and examines him.

18  rThe lot puts an end to quarrels

and decides between powerful contenders.

19  A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,

and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.

20  sFrom the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;

he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.

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

and those who love it will eat its fruits.

22  He who finds ua wife finds va good thing

and wobtains favor xfrom the Lord.

23  The poor use entreaties,

but ythe rich answer roughly.

24  A man of many companions may come to ruin,

but zthere is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

19 aBetter is a poor person who bwalks in his integrity

than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.

2  Desire1 without knowledge is not good,

and whoever cmakes haste with his feet misses his way.

3  When a man’s folly dbrings his way to ruin,

his heart erages against the Lord.

4  fWealth brings many new friends,

fbut a poor man is deserted by his friend.

5  gA false witness will not go unpunished,

and he who hbreathes out lies will not escape.

6  Many seek the favor of a generous man,2

and everyone is a friend to a man who gives igifts.

7  jAll a poor man’s brothers hate him;

khow much more do his friends go far from him!

He pursues them with words, but does not have them.3

8  lWhoever gets sense loves his own soul;

he who keeps understanding will mdiscover good.

9  gA false witness will not go unpunished,

and he who hbreathes out lies will perish.

10  nIt is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,

much less for oa slave to rule over princes.

11  pGood sense makes one slow to anger,

and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

12  A king’s wrath is like qthe growling of a lion,

but his rfavor is like sdew on the grass.

13  tA foolish son is ruin to his father,

and ua wife’s quarreling is va continual dripping of rain.