3:1 My child, 2 do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep 3 my commandments,
18:1 One who has isolated himself 4 seeks his own desires; 5
he rejects 6 all sound judgment.
18:2 A fool takes no pleasure 7 in understanding
but only in disclosing 8 what is on his mind. 9
18:3 When a wicked person 10 arrives, contempt 11 shows up with him,
and with shame comes 12 a reproach.
18:4 The words of a person’s mouth are like 13 deep waters, 14
and 15 the fountain of wisdom 16 is like 17 a flowing brook. 18
18:5 It is terrible 19 to show partiality 20 to the wicked, 21
by depriving 22 a righteous man of justice.
18:6 The lips of a fool 23 enter into strife, 24
and his mouth invites 25 a flogging. 26
18:7 The mouth of a fool is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare for his life. 27
18:8 The words of a gossip 28 are like choice morsels; 29
they go down into the person’s innermost being. 30
18:9 The one who 31 is slack 32 in his work
is a brother 33 to one who destroys. 34
18:10 The name of the Lord 35 is like 36 a strong tower; 37
the righteous person runs 38 to it and is set safely on high. 39
18:11 The wealth 40 of a rich person is like 41 a strong city, 42
and it is like a high wall in his imagination. 43
18:12 Before destruction the heart 44 of a person is proud,
but humility comes 45 before honor. 46
18:13 The one who gives an answer 47 before he listens 48 –
that is his folly and his shame. 49
18:14 A person’s spirit 50 sustains him through sickness –
but who can bear 51 a crushed spirit? 52
18:15 The discerning person 53 acquires knowledge,
and the wise person 54 seeks 55 knowledge.
18:16 A person’s gift 56 makes room for him,
and leads him 57 before important people.
18:17 The first to state his case 58 seems 59 right,
until his opponent 60 begins to 61 cross-examine him. 62
18:18 A toss of a coin 63 ends 64 disputes,
and settles the issue 65 between strong opponents. 66
18:19 A relative 67 offended 68 is harder to reach than 69 a strong city,
and disputes are like the barred gates 70 of a fortified citadel. 71
18:20 From the fruit of a person’s mouth 72 his stomach is satisfied, 73
with the product of his lips is he satisfied.
18:21 Death and life are in the power 74 of the tongue, 75
and those who love its use 76 will eat its fruit.
18:22 The one who finds 77 a wife finds what is enjoyable, 78
and receives a pleasurable gift 79 from the Lord. 80
18:23 A poor person makes supplications, 81
but a rich man answers harshly. 82
18:24 A person who has friends 83 may be harmed by them, 84
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.