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Chapter 18
The Selfishness of the Unfriendly
1
He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.
𐤍𐤐𐤓𐤃 𐤉𐤁𐤒𐤔 𐤋𐤕𐤀𐤅𐤄 𐤉𐤕𐤂𐤋𐤏 𐤁𐤊𐤋 𐤕𐤅𐤔𐤉𐤄
נִפְרָ֑ד יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ לְֽ֭תַאֲוָה יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃ בְּכָל־ תּ֝וּשִׁיָּ֗ה nip̄·rāḏ yə·ḇaq·qêš lə·ṯa·’ă·wāh yiṯ·gal·lā‘ bə·ḵāl tū·šî·yāh — WLC · 1
2
A fool does not delight in understanding, but only… in airing his opinions.
𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤐𐤑 𐤁𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤌 𐤁𐤄𐤕𐤂𐤋𐤅𐤕 𐤋𐤁𐤅
כְּ֭סִיל לֹֽא־ יַחְפֹּ֣ץ בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֝֗י אִֽם־ בְּהִתְגַּלּ֥וֹת לִבּֽוֹ׃ kə·sîl lō- yaḥ·pōṣ biṯ·ḇū·nāh kî ’im- bə·hiṯ·gal·lō·wṯ lib·bōw — WLC · 2
3
With a wicked [man] comes contempt as well…, and shame is accompanied by disgrace.
𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤁𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤁𐤅𐤆 𐤂𐤌 𐤁𐤀 𐤒𐤋𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤏𐤌 𐤇𐤓𐤐𐤄
רָ֭שָׁע בְּֽבוֹא־ בּ֑וּז גַם־ בָּ֣א קָל֥וֹן וְֽעִם־ חֶרְפָּֽה׃ rā·šā‘ bə·ḇō·w- būz ḡam- bā qā·lō·wn wə·‘im- ḥer·pāh — WLC · 3
4
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤐𐤉 𐤏𐤌𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤓 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤍𐤁𐤏 𐤍𐤇𐤋
דִּבְרֵ֣י אִ֑ישׁ פִי־ עֲ֭מֻקִּים מַ֣יִם מְק֣וֹר חָכְמָֽה׃ נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ נַ֥חַל diḇ·rê ’îš p̄î- ‘ă·muq·qîm ma·yim mə·qō·wr ḥāḵ·māh nō·ḇê·a‘ na·ḥal — WLC · 4
5
Showing partiality vvv to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice.
𐤔𐤀𐤕 𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤋𐤀 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤄𐤈𐤅𐤕 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤁𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈
שְׂאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־ רָשָׁ֣ע לֹא־ ט֑וֹב לְהַטּ֥וֹת צַ֝דִּ֗יק בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ śə·’êṯ pə·nê- rā·šā‘ lō- ṭō·wḇ lə·haṭ·ṭō·wṯ ṣad·dîq bam·miš·pāṭ — WLC · 5
6
A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.
𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉 𐤉𐤁𐤀𐤅 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤁 𐤅𐤐𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤋𐤌𐤄𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕
כְ֭סִיל שִׂפְתֵ֣י יָבֹ֣אֽוּ בְרִ֑יב וּ֝פִ֗יו יִקְרָֽא׃ לְֽמַהֲלֻמ֥וֹת ḵə·sîl śip̄·ṯê yā·ḇō·’ū ḇə·rîḇ ū·p̄îw yiq·rā lə·ma·hă·lu·mō·wṯ — WLC · 6
7
A fool’s mouth is his ruin and his lips [are] a snare to his soul.
𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤐𐤉 𐤌𐤇𐤕𐤄 𐤋𐤅 𐤅𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤌𐤅𐤒𐤔 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤅
כְ֭סִיל פִּֽי־ מְחִתָּה־ ל֑וֹ וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו מוֹקֵ֥שׁ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ ḵə·sîl pî- mə·ḥit·tāh- lōw ū·śə·p̄ā·ṯāw mō·w·qêš nap̄·šōw — WLC · 7
8
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being…
𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤍𐤓𐤂𐤍 𐤊𐤌𐤕𐤋𐤄𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤄𐤌 𐤉𐤓𐤃𐤅 𐤇𐤃𐤓𐤉 𐤁𐤈𐤍
דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־ בָֽטֶן׃ diḇ·rê nir·gān kə·miṯ·la·hă·mîm wə·hêm yā·rə·ḏū ḥaḏ·rê- ḇā·ṭen — WLC · 8
9
Whoever is slothful in his work is brother… to him who destroys.
𐤂𐤌 𐤌𐤕𐤓𐤐𐤄 𐤁𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤕𐤅 𐤀𐤇 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤋𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤌𐤔𐤇𐤉𐤕
גַּ֭ם מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה בִמְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ אָ֥ח ה֝֗וּא לְבַ֣עַל מַשְׁחִֽית׃ gam miṯ·rap·peh ḇim·laḵ·tōw ’āḥ hū lə·ḇa·‘al maš·ḥîṯ — WLC · 9
10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
𐤔𐤌 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤏𐤆 𐤌𐤂𐤃𐤋 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤑 𐤁𐤅 𐤅𐤍𐤔𐤂𐤁
שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֭ז מִגְדַּל־ צַדִּ֣יק יָר֖וּץ בּֽוֹ־ וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃ šêm Yah·weh ‘ōz miḡ·dal- ṣad·dîq yā·rūṣ bōw- wə·niś·gāḇ — WLC · 10
11
A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; it is like a high wall in his imagination.
𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤓 𐤄𐤅𐤍 𐤏𐤆𐤅 𐤒𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤍𐤔𐤂𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤊𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤉𐤕𐤅
עָ֭שִׁיר ה֣וֹן עֻזּ֑וֹ קִרְיַ֣ת נִ֝שְׂגָּבָ֗ה וּכְחוֹמָ֥ה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתֽוֹ׃ ‘ā·šîr hō·wn ‘uz·zōw qir·yaṯ niś·gā·ḇāh ū·ḵə·ḥō·w·māh bə·maś·kî·ṯōw — WLC · 11
12
Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤁𐤓 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤋𐤁 𐤉𐤂𐤁𐤄 𐤏𐤍𐤅𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃
לִפְנֵי־ שֶׁ֭בֶר אִ֑ישׁ לֵב־ יִגְבַּ֣הּ עֲנָוָֽה׃ וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָב֣וֹד lip̄·nê·še- še·b̲er ’îš lêḇ- yiḡ·bah ‘ă·nā·wāh wə·lip̄·nê ḵā·ḇō·wḏ — WLC · 12
13
He who answers a matter before he hears [it]— this [is] folly and disgrace to him.
𐤌𐤔𐤉𐤁 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤁𐤈𐤓𐤌 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤕 𐤅𐤊𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤅
מֵשִׁ֣יב דָּ֭בָר בְּטֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁמָ֑ע הִיא־ אִוֶּ֥לֶת וּכְלִמָּֽה׃ ל֝֗וֹ mê·šîḇ dā·ḇār bə·ṭe·rem yiš·mā‘ hî- ’iw·we·leṯ ū·ḵə·lim·māh lōw — WLC · 13
14
The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?
𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤉𐤊𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤌𐤇𐤋𐤄𐤅 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤀𐤍𐤄 𐤍𐤊𐤀𐤄 𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤇
רֽוּחַ־ אִ֭ישׁ יְכַלְכֵּ֣ל מַחֲלֵ֑הוּ מִ֣י יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה וְר֥וּחַ rū·aḥ- ’îš yə·ḵal·kêl ma·ḥă·lê·hū mî yiś·śā·’en·nāh nə·ḵê·’āh wə·rū·aḥ — WLC · 14
15
The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it out.
𐤋𐤁 𐤍𐤁𐤅𐤍 𐤉𐤒𐤍𐤄 𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤆𐤍 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤁𐤒𐤔 𐤃𐤏𐤕
לֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן יִקְנֶה־ דָּ֑עַת וְאֹ֥זֶן חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־ דָּֽעַת׃ lêḇ nā·ḇō·wn yiq·neh- dā·‘aṯ wə·’ō·zen ḥă·ḵā·mîm tə·ḇaq·qeš- dā·‘aṯ — WLC · 15
16
A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.
𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤌𐤕𐤍 𐤉𐤓𐤇𐤉𐤁 𐤋𐤅 𐤉𐤍𐤇𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤂𐤃𐤋𐤉𐤌
אָ֭דָם מַתָּ֣ן יַרְחִ֣יב ל֑וֹ יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃ וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְדֹלִ֣ים ’ā·ḏām mat·tān yar·ḥîḇ lōw yan·ḥen·nū wə·lip̄·nê ḡə·ḏō·lîm — WLC · 16
17
The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤁𐤅 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤓𐤏𐤄𐤅 𐤉𐤁𐤀 𐤅𐤇𐤒𐤓𐤅
הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן בְּרִיב֑וֹ צַדִּ֣יק רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ יָבֹא וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃ hā·ri·šō·wn bə·rî·ḇōw ṣad·dîq yå̄·ḇō wa·ḥă·qā·rōw — WLC · 17
18
Casting the lot… ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
𐤄𐤂𐤅𐤓𐤋 𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤃𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤐𐤓𐤉𐤃 𐤏𐤑𐤅𐤌𐤉𐤌
הַגּוֹרָ֑ל וּבֵ֖ין יַשְׁבִּ֣ית מִ֭דְיָנִים יַפְרִֽיד׃ עֲצוּמִ֣ים hag·gō·w·rāl ū·ḇên yaš·bîṯ miḏ·yā·nîm yap̄·rîḏ ‘ă·ṣū·mîm — WLC · 18
19
An offended brother [is harder to win] than a fortified city, and disputes are like the bars of a castle.
𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤏 𐤀𐤇 𐤏𐤆 𐤌𐤒𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤅𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤇 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤅𐤍
נִפְשָׁ֥ע אָ֗ח עֹ֑ז מִקִּרְיַת־ וּמְדוֹנִים כִּבְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֽוֹן׃ nip̄·šā‘ ’āḥ ‘ōz miq·qir·yaṯ- ū·mə·ḏō·nīm kiḇ·rî·aḥ ’ar·mō·wn — WLC · 19
20
From the fruit of his mouth a man’s belly is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
𐤌𐤐𐤓𐤉 𐤐𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤁𐤈𐤍𐤅 𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤏 𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤀𐤕 𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤏
מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־ אִ֭ישׁ בִּטְנ֑וֹ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃ mip·pə·rî p̄î- ’îš biṭ·nōw tiś·ba‘ tə·ḇū·’aṯ śə·p̄ā·ṯāw yiś·bā‘ — WLC · 20
21
Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love [it] will eat its fruit.
𐤅𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤄 𐤉𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤐𐤓𐤉𐤄
וְ֭חַיִּים מָ֣וֶת בְּיַד־ לָשׁ֑וֹן וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃ wə·ḥay·yîm mā·weṯ bə·yaḏ- lā·šō·wn wə·’ō·hă·ḇe·hā yō·ḵal pir·yāh — WLC · 21
22
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
𐤌𐤑𐤀 𐤀𐤔𐤄 𐤌𐤑𐤀 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤐𐤒 𐤓𐤑𐤅𐤍 𐤌𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄
מָצָ֣א אִ֭שָּׁה מָ֣צָא ט֑וֹב וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃ mā·ṣā ’iš·šāh mā·ṣā ṭō·wḇ way·yā·p̄eq rā·ṣō·wn Yah·weh — WLC · 22
23
The poor man pleads for mercy…, but the rich man answers harshly.
𐤓𐤔 𐤕𐤇𐤍𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤅𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤓 𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤄 𐤏𐤆𐤅𐤕
רָ֑שׁ תַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים יְדַבֶּר־ וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר יַעֲנֶ֥ה עַזּֽוֹת׃ rāš ta·ḥă·nū·nîm yə·ḏab·ber- wə·‘ā·šîr ya·‘ă·neh ‘az·zō·wṯ — WLC · 23
24
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤄𐤕𐤓𐤏𐤏 𐤅𐤉𐤔 𐤀𐤄𐤁 𐤃𐤁𐤒 𐤌𐤀𐤇
אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ וְיֵ֥שׁ אֹ֝הֵ֗ב דָּבֵ֥ק מֵאָֽח׃ ’îš rê·‘îm lə·hiṯ·rō·‘ê·a‘ wə·yêš ’ō·hêḇ dā·ḇêq mê·’āḥ — WLC · 24