Proverbs 18-19

New King James Version

² A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his ^(A)own heart.

³ When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;
And with dishonor comes reproach.

^4 (B)The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
^(C)The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

⁵ It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in ^(D)judgment.

⁶ A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
^7 (E)A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his ^(F)soul.
^8 (G)The words of a ^[b]talebearer are like ^[c]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the ^[d]inmost body.

⁹ He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong ^(H)tower;
The righteous run to it and are ^[e]safe.
¹¹ The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.

^12 (I)Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility.

¹³ He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴ The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,
But who can bear a broken spirit?

¹⁵ The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

^16 (J)A man’s gift makes room for him,
And brings him before great men.

¹⁷ The first one to plead his cause seems right,
Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

¹⁸ Casting ^(K)lots causes contentions to cease,
And keeps the mighty apart.

¹⁹ A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a castle.

^20 (L)A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;
From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

^21 (M)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

^22 (N)He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.

²³ The poor man uses entreaties,
But the rich answers ^(O)roughly.

²⁴ A man who has friends ^[f]must himself be friendly,
^(P)But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

² Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.

³ The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the Lord.

^4 (R)Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵ A ^(S)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.

⁶ Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
^7 (T)All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go ^(U)far from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they ^[g]abandon him.

⁸ He who gets ^[h]wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding ^(V)will find good.

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.

¹⁰ Luxury is not fitting for a fool,
Much less ^(W)for a servant to rule over princes.

^11 (X)The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
^(Y)And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

^12 (Z)The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is ^(AA)like dew on the grass.

^13 (AB)A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
^(AC)And the contentions of a wife are a continual ^[i]dripping.

^14 (AD)Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But ^(AE)a prudent wife is from the Lord.

^15 (AF)Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will ^(AG)suffer hunger.

^16 (AH)He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who ^[j]is careless of his ways will die.

^17 (AI)He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
And He will pay back what he has given.

^18 (AJ)Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart ^[k]on his destruction.

¹⁹ A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

²⁰ Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise ^(AK)in your latter days.

²¹ There are many plans in a man’s heart,
^(AL)Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

²² What is desired in a man is ^[l]kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.

^23 (AM)The fear of the Lord leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.

^24 (AN)A lazy man buries his hand in the ^[m]bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵ Strike a scoffer, and the simple ^(AO)will become wary;
^(AP)Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

²⁶ He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is ^(AQ)a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

²⁷ Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A ^[n]disreputable witness scorns justice,
And ^(AR)the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

²⁹ Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
^(AS)And beatings for the backs of fools.