Proverbs 18

1Unfriendly people are selfish

and hate all good sense.

2Fools do not want to understand anything.

They only want to tell others what they think.

3Do something evil, and people won’t like you.

Do something shameful, and they will make fun of you.

4Spoken words can be like deep water,

but wisdom is like a flowing stream.

5It is not good to honor the wicked

or to be unfair to the innocent.

6The words of fools start quarrels.

They make people want to beat them.

7The words of fools will ruin them;

their own words will trap them.

8The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food.

People like to gobble them up.

9A person who doesn’t work hard

is just like someone who destroys things.

10The Lord is like a strong tower;

those who do right can run to him for safety.

11Rich people trust their wealth to protect them.

They think it is like the high walls of a city.

12Proud people will be ruined,

but the humble will be honored.

13Anyone who answers without listening

is foolish and confused.

14The will to live can get you through sickness,

but no one can live with a broken spirit.

15The mind of a person with understanding gets knowledge;

the wise person listens to learn more.

16Taking gifts to important people

will help get you in to see them.

17The person who tells one side of a story seems right,

until someone else comes and asks questions.

18Throwing lots can settle arguments

and keep the two sides from fighting.

19A brother who has been insulted is harder to win back than a walled city,

and arguments separate people like the barred gates of a palace.

20People will be rewarded for what they say;

they will be rewarded by how they speak.

21What you say can mean life or death.

Those who speak with care will be rewarded.

22When a man finds a wife, he finds something good.

It shows that the Lord is pleased with him.

23The poor beg for mercy,

but the rich give rude answers.

24Some friends may ruin you,

but a real friend will be more loyal than a brother.

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Proverbs 18: NCV

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Proverbs 18

1A loner is out to get what he wants for himself.

He opposes all sound reasoning.

2A fool does not find joy in understanding

but only in expressing his own opinion.

3When wickedness comes, contempt also comes,

and insult comes along with disgrace.

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

The fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream.

5It is not good to be partial toward a wicked person,

thereby depriving an innocent person of justice.

6By talking, a fool gets into an argument,

and his mouth invites a beating.

7A fool’s mouth is his ruin.

His lips are a trap to his soul.

8The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily,

and they go down into a person’s innermost being.

How to Avoid Fools and Foolishness

9Whoever is lazy in his work is related to a vandal.

10The name of the Lord is a strong tower.

A righteous person runs to it and is safe.

11A rich person’s wealth is his strong city

and is like a high wall in his imagination.

12Before destruction a person’s heart is arrogant,

but humility comes before honor.

13Whoever gives an answer before he listens is stupid and shameful.

14A person’s spirit can endure sickness,

but who can bear a broken spirit?

15The mind of a person who has understanding acquires knowledge.

The ears of wise people seek knowledge.

16A gift opens doors for the one who gives it

and brings him into the presence of great people.

17The first to state his case seems right

⌞until⌟ his neighbor comes to cross-examine him.

18Flipping a coin ends quarrels

and settles ⌞issues⌟ between powerful people.

19An offended brother is more ⌞resistant⌟ than a strong city,

and disputes are like the locked gate of a castle tower.

20A person’s speaking ability provides for his stomach.

His talking provides him a living.

21The tongue has the power of life and death,

and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words.

22Whoever finds a wife finds something good

and has obtained favor from the Lord.

23A poor person is timid when begging,

but a rich person is blunt when replying.

24Friends can destroy one another,#18:24 Or “A person has friends as companions.”

but a loving friend can stick closer than family.

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