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The Proverbs

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- Chapter 18 -

The words of the wise and the foolish

1
Whoever has a will to withdraw from a friend, seeks occasions; he shall be reproached at all times.
2
The foolish do not accept words of prudence, unless you say what is already turning in his heart.
3
The impious, when he has arrived within the depths of sin, thinks little of it. But ill repute and disgrace follow him.
4
Words from the mouth of a man are deep waters. And the fountain of wisdom is a torrent overflowing.
5
It is not good to accept the character of the impious, so as to turn away from true judgment.
6
The lips of the foolish meddle in disputes. And his mouth provokes conflicts.
7
The mouth of the foolish is his destruction, and his own lips are the ruin of his soul.
8
The words of the double-tongued seem simple. And they reach even to the interior of the gut. Fear casts down the lazy, but the souls of the effeminate shall go hungry.
9
Whoever is dissolute and slack in his work is the brother of him who wastes his own works.
10
The name of the Lord is a very strong tower. The just one rushes to it, and he shall be exalted.
11
The substance of the wealthy is the city of his strength, and it is like a strong wall encircling him.(a)
12
The heart of a man is exalted before it is crushed and humbled before it is glorified.(b)
13
Whoever responds before he listens, demonstrates himself to be foolish and deserving of confusion.
14
The spirit of a man sustains his weakness. Yet who can sustain a spirit that is easily angered?
15
A prudent heart shall possess knowledge. And the ear of the wise seeks doctrine.
16
A man’s gift expands his way and makes space for him before leaders.
17
The just is the first accuser of himself; his friend arrives and shall investigate him.
18
Casting a lot suppresses contentions and passes judgment, even among the powerful.
19
A brother who is helped by a brother is like a reinforced city, and judgments are like the bars of cities.
20
From the fruit of a man’s mouth shall his belly be filled. And the harvest of his own lips shall satisfy him.(c)
21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Whoever values it shall eat from its fruits.
22
He who has found a good wife has found goodness, and he shall draw contentment from the Lord. He who expels a good wife expels goodness. But he who holds on to an adulteress is foolish and impious.(d)
23
The poor will speak with supplications. And the rich will express themselves roughly.
24
A man amiable to society shall be more friendly than a brother.

Footnotes

(a)18:11 A different Latin word is used in this verse, to describe the strength of riches, than is used in the previous verse to describe the strength of calling upon the name of the Lord. These are two different kinds of strength.(Conte)
(b)18:12 This verse applies to the contemplative way.(Conte)
(c)18:20 The word ‘harvest’ is a looser translation of ‘genimina,’ because the latter is clearly a continuation of the metaphor from earlier in the same verse. There is the fruit of a man’s mouth and the ‘genimina’ (spouts, shoots, vegetables, crops, produce, etc.). The translation of harvest makes the verse more comprehensible in English than any of the more literal translation choices.(Conte)
(d)18:22 He who has found a good wife has not merely found a good thing, he has found goodness itself, a reflection within his wife of God who is Goodness, and so he shall draw contentment from God himself.(Conte)

The words of the wise and the foolish

1
A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
2
A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.
3
When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.
4
The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
5
To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
6
A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
7
A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8
The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
9
One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
10
The LORD’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
11
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
12
Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.
13
He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
14
A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
15
The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16
A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
17
He who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.
18
The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.
19
A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
20
A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.
22
Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the LORD.
23
The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
24
A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
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