Sprüche 18

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

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