He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He abreaks out in dispute against all sound wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in discernment,
But only ain revealing his own heart.
3 When a wicked man comes, despising also comes,
And with disgrace comes reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are adeep waters;
The fountain of wisdom is a flowing brook.
5 To ashow partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to bthrust aside the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips come with strife,
And his mouth calls for abeatings.
7 A afool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the stomach.
9 He also who is aslack in his work
bIs brother to him who destroys.
10 The aname of Yahweh is a bstrong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is cset securely on high.
11 A arich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own delusion.
12 aBefore destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But bhumility goes before glory.
13 He who aresponds with a word before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.
14 The aspirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a bbroken spirit, who can bear it?
15 The aheart of the understanding acquires knowledge,
And the bear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s agift makes room for him
And leads him into the presence of great men.
17 The first to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and examines him.
18 The cast alot puts an end to contentions
And decides between the mighty ones.
19 A brother offended is harder to win over than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.
20 From the afruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
bWith the produce of his lips he will be satisfied.
21 aDeath and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its bfruit.
22 He who finds a awife finds a good thing
And bobtains favor from Yahweh.
23 The apoor man speaks supplications,
But the brich man canswers with strong words.
24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is aa friend who sticks closer than a brother.