Proverbs 18

An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends

and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding

but delight in airing their own opinions.^j

When wickedness comes, so does contempt,

and with shame comes reproach.

The words of the mouth are deep waters,^k

but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

It is not good to be partial to the wicked^l

and so deprive the innocent of justice.^m

The lips of fools bring them strife,

and their mouths invite a beating.ⁿ

The mouths of fools are their undoing,

and their lips are a snare^o to their very lives.^p

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

they go down to the inmost parts.^q

One who is slack in his work

is a close relative of one who destroys.^r

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;^s

the righteous run to it and are safe.^t

The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;^u

they imagine it a wall too high to scale.

Before a downfall the heart is haughty,

but humility comes before honor.^v

To answer before listening—

that is folly and shame.^w

The human spirit can endure in sickness,

but a crushed spirit who can bear?^x

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,^y

for the ears of the wise seek it out.

A gift^z opens the way

and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,

until someone comes forward and cross-examines.

Casting the lot settles disputes^a

and keeps strong opponents apart.

A brother wronged^b is more unyielding than a fortified city;

disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

From the fruit of their mouths people’s stomachs are filled;

with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.^c

The tongue has the power of life and death,^d

and those who love it will eat its fruit.^e

He who finds a wife finds what is good^f

and receives favor from the Lord.^g

The poor plead for mercy,

but the rich answer harshly.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.^h