Proverbs 18
1A man who separates himself seeks his own ta'avah (desire); 1 he defies all tushiyyah (wisdom, sound judgment). 1
2A kesil (fool) hath no delight in tevunah (understanding), 1 but only in airing out his lev (mind, opinions). 1
3When the rashah cometh, then cometh also contempt, 1 and with dishonor, cherpah (reproach, disgrace). 1
4The devarim of a manʼs mouth are deep mayim; 1 the makor chochmah is a flowing stream. 1
5It is not tov to show partiality to the rashah, 1 to subvert the tzaddik in mishpat. 1
6The sfatayim (lips) of a kesil enter into contention, 1 and his peh (mouth) inviteth blows. 1
7The peh (mouth) of a kesil is his undoing, 1 and his sfatayim (lips) are the mokesh (snare) of his nefesh. 1
8The devarim of a nirgan (gossip, talebearer, slanderer) are like mitlachamim (delicious tidbits), 1 and they go down into the innermost parts of the beten (belly). 1
9He also that is slack in his work 1 is brother to him that is ba'al mashchit (master of destruction). 1
10The Shem of Hashem is a strong migdal (tower), 1 the tzaddik runneth into it, and is safe. 1
11The oisherʼs wealth is his strong city, 1 and is a high chomah in his own conceit. 1
12Before shever (destruction) the lev ish is haughty, 1 and before kavod is anavah (humility). 1
13He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, 1 it is folly and kelimmah (reproach, shame) unto him. 1
14The ruach ish will sustain him in sickness, 1 but a crushed ruach who can bear? 1
15The lev of the prudent acquireth da'as, 1 and the ozen of the chachamim seeketh da'as. 1
16The mattan adam (gift of a man) openeth the way for him, 1 and bringeth him before gedolim. 1
17He that is harishon (the first) to make his case seemeth tzaddik, 1 but his re'a cometh and doth cross-examine him. 1
18The goral (lot) causeth contentions to cease, 1 and keepeth the mighty apart. 1
19A brother offended is harder to be won 1 than a strong city, 1 and their contentious quarrelings are like the bars of an armon (citadel). 1
20An ishʼs beten shall be filled with the fruit of his peh (mouth), 1 and with the produce of his sfatayim (lips) shall he be satisfied. 1
21Mavet and chayyim are in the power of the lashon, 1 and they that love it shall eat the p'ri (fruit) thereof. 1
22He who findeth an isha (wife) findeth tov, 1 and obtaineth ratzon (favor) from Hashem. 1
23The poor useth entreaties, 1 but the oisher answereth roughly. 1
24An ish of many companions may come to ruin, 1 but there is an ohev (friend) that sticketh closer than a brother.