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Proverbs 18

The TorahRooted Bible (TRB), translated directly from the Hebrew and Greek.

1 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound wisdom. 2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in revealing his own heart. 3 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace. 4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. 5 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, to turn aside the righteous in judgment. 6 A fool's lips walk into a quarrel, and his mouth calls for beatings. 7 A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. 8 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner rooms of the belly. 9 Even one who is slack in his work is a brother to one who destroys.

10 The name of Yahweh is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe. 11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination. 12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor comes humility. 13 If one gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him. 14 A man's spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear it? 15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. 16 A man's gift 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 The lot puts an end to quarrels and decides between the mighty. 19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and quarrels are like the bars of a citadel. 20 From the fruit of a man's mouth his belly is satisfied; with the yield of his lips he is satisfied. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from Yahweh. 23 The poor man uses entreaties, but the rich man answers roughly. 24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Notes

  • 18:10 "The name of Yahweh" is Yahweh Himself as He has made Himself known, as when He came down on Sinai and "proclaimed the name of Yahweh" (Exodus 34:5-7). A "strong tower" (migdal oz) was a city's last refuge under attack, as in Judges 9:51. "Is safe" is nisgav, "set on high," out of the enemy's reach. The next verse uses the same word for the rich man's wall, which is high only "in his imagination."
  • 18:19 The Hebrew of this verse is compressed and hard; "harder to win" is supplied to make sense of "a brother offended … than a strong city." The Greek translation reads it quite differently: a brother helped by a brother is like a strong city. Either way the verse is about how much a quarrel within a family costs.
  • 18:22 The second line repeats Wisdom's own promise word for word, "obtains favor from Yahweh" (8:35): finding a wife is like finding wisdom, a gift from Him (19:14). It also recalls the first words about marriage, "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). The Greek translation adds "good" before "wife" and further lines about sending away a good wife and keeping an adulteress; these are not in the Hebrew.
  • 18:24 The first line is difficult. "May come to ruin" reads the verb as "to be broken"; others read it as "to be a companion": a man of many companions has them only for company. Either way the contrast is with the one friend who "sticks closer," davek, the verb used of a man who will "hold fast to his wife" (Genesis 2:24).

Proverbs 17 · Proverbs 19

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