18:1 One who has isolated himself 1 seeks his own desires; 2
he rejects 3 all sound judgment.
18:2 A fool takes no pleasure 4 in understanding
but only in disclosing 5 what is on his mind. 6
18:3 When a wicked person 7 arrives, contempt 8 shows up with him,
and with shame comes 9 a reproach.
18:4 The words of a person’s mouth are like 10 deep waters, 11
and 12 the fountain of wisdom 13 is like 14 a flowing brook. 15
18:5 It is terrible 16 to show partiality 17 to the wicked, 18
by depriving 19 a righteous man of justice.
18:6 The lips of a fool 20 enter into strife, 21
and his mouth invites 22 a flogging. 23
18:7 The mouth of a fool is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare for his life. 24
18:8 The words of a gossip 25 are like choice morsels; 26
they go down into the person’s innermost being. 27
18:9 The one who 28 is slack 29 in his work
is a brother 30 to one who destroys. 31