Proverbs · Bible in Basic English
Proverbs 18 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 He who keeps himself separate for his private purpose goes against all good sense.
1 A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
2 A foolish man has no pleasure in good sense, but only to let what is in his heart come to light.
2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.
3 When the evil-doer comes, a low opinion comes with him, and with the loss of honour comes shame.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters: the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing stream.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
5 To have respect for the person of the evil-doer is not good, or to give a wrong decision against the upright.
5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
6 A foolish man's lips are a cause of fighting, and his mouth makes him open to blows.
6 A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
7 The mouth of a foolish man is his destruction, and his lips are a net for his soul.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, and go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
8 The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
9 He who does not give his mind to his work is brother to him who makes destruction.
9 One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the upright man running into it is safe.
10 Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
11 The property of a man of wealth is his strong town, and it is as a high wall in the thoughts of his heart.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is full of pride, and before honour goes a gentle spirit.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.
13 To give an answer before hearing is a foolish thing and a cause of shame.
13 He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
14 The spirit of a man will be his support when he is ill; but how may a broken spirit be lifted up?
14 A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
15 The heart of the man of good sense gets knowledge; the ear of the wise is searching for knowledge.
15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man's offering makes room for him, letting him come before great men.
16 A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
17 The man who first puts his cause before the judge seems to be in the right; but then his neighbour comes and puts his cause in its true light.
17 He who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.
18 The decision of chance puts an end to argument, parting the strong.
18 The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.
19 A brother wounded is like a strong town, and violent acts are like a locked tower.
19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
20 With the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach will be full; the produce of his lips will be his in full measure.
20 A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and those to whom it is dear will have its fruit for their food.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 Whoever gets a wife gets a good thing, and has the approval of the Lord.
22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh.
23 The poor man makes requests for grace, but the man of wealth gives a rough answer.
23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
24 There are friends who may be a man's destruction, but there is a lover who keeps nearer than a brother.
24 A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Cross references (24)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Ephesians 5:15–17; Proverbs 20:3; Proverbs 2:1–6; Jeremiah 15:17; Proverbs 24:21
- 2 Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 12:23; Psalm 1:1–2; Proverbs 17:16; Proverbs 13:16
- 3 Proverbs 22:10; 1 Peter 4:14; Proverbs 11:2; 1 Peter 4:4; Proverbs 29:16
- 4 Proverbs 20:5; Proverbs 10:11; Colossians 4:6; John 4:14; Proverbs 13:14
- 5 Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 16:19; Proverbs 28:21; Psalm 82:2; Proverbs 17:15
- 6 Proverbs 27:3; Proverbs 16:27–28; Proverbs 22:24–25; Proverbs 19:29; Proverbs 25:24
- 7 Proverbs 13:3; Proverbs 12:13; Proverbs 10:14; Psalm 64:8; Psalm 140:9
- 8 Proverbs 12:18; Leviticus 19:16; Proverbs 16:28; Proverbs 26:20–22; Psalm 64:3–4
- 9 Proverbs 10:4; Hebrews 6:12; Proverbs 24:30–34; Romans 12:11; Proverbs 23:20–21
- 10 2 Samuel 22:3; Isaiah 26:4; Psalm 91:2; Psalm 144:2; Psalm 61:3–4
- 11 Proverbs 10:15; Ecclesiastes 7:12; Psalm 52:5–7; Luke 12:19–21; Psalm 49:6–9
- 12 Proverbs 15:33; 1 Peter 5:5; Proverbs 11:2; Proverbs 16:18; Ezekiel 28:2
- 13 John 7:51; Deuteronomy 13:14; Proverbs 20:25; Job 29:16
- 14 Proverbs 15:13; Proverbs 17:22; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; 1 Peter 1:6; Psalm 147:3
- 15 James 1:5; Proverbs 15:14; Proverbs 1:5; Proverbs 9:9; Luke 10:39
- 16 Proverbs 19:6; Genesis 43:11; Genesis 33:10; 1 Samuel 25:27; Proverbs 17:8
- 17 Proverbs 18:13
- 18 Proverbs 16:33; Nehemiah 11:1; 1 Samuel 10:21–27; 1 Chronicles 24:31; 1 Samuel 14:42
- 19 Proverbs 16:32; Acts 15:39; Proverbs 6:19; Genesis 37:3–5; 1 Kings 12:16
- 20 Proverbs 25:11–12; Proverbs 12:13–14; Proverbs 13:2; Proverbs 22:18
- 21 Ephesians 4:29; Matthew 12:35–37; Colossians 4:6; Proverbs 10:19–21; James 3:6–9
- 22 Proverbs 19:14; Proverbs 31:10–31; Proverbs 12:4; Ecclesiastes 9:9; 1 Corinthians 7:2
- 23 James 2:3; James 1:9–11; Exodus 5:2; James 2:6; 1 Samuel 25:17
- 24 Proverbs 17:17; John 15:13–15; Proverbs 27:9; 2 Samuel 1:26; 1 Samuel 19:4–5
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For that is true which is written, "Pride goeth before destruction, and before honor is humility;" that is to say, secret ruin precedes open ruin, while the former is not counted ruin.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Defile it not therefore, lest to thee also He say, "Though ye make many prayers, I will not hearken." Yea, and "in the power of the tongue are death and life;" and, "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." I bid thee then watch thy tongue more than the apple of thine …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
The hand of God he hath called the power of God: as hath been written in another place, "death and life are in the hands of the tongue." Hath the tongue hands?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)