Proverbs 18:9-Proverbs 19:12 - How To Avoid Fools And Foolishness

⁹
He who is careless in his work
Is a brother to him who destroys.

¹⁰
The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].

¹¹
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall [of protection] in his own imagination and conceit.

¹²
Before disaster the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance,
But humility comes before honor.

¹³
He who answers before he hears [the facts]—
It is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴
The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness,
But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?

¹⁵
The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.

¹⁶
A man’s gift [given in love or courtesy] makes room for him
And brings him before great men.

¹⁷
The first one to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and cross-examines him.

¹⁸
To cast lots puts an end to quarrels
And decides between powerful contenders.

¹⁹
A brother offended is harder to win over than a fortified city,
And contentions [separating families] are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰
A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;
He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.

²¹
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

²²
He who finds a [true and faithful] wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor and approval from the Lord.

²³
The poor man pleads,
But the rich man answers roughly.

²⁴
The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin,
But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.

¹ Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
Than a [rich] man who is twisted in his speech and is a [shortsighted] fool.

²
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries with his feet [acting impulsively and proceeding without caution or analyzing the consequences] sins (misses the mark).

³
The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes];
Then his heart is resentful and rages against the Lord [for, being a fool, he blames the Lord instead of himself].

⁴
Wealth makes many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.

⁵
A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes out lies will not escape.

⁶
Many will seek the favor of a generous and noble man,
And everyone is a friend to him who gives gifts.

⁷
All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues them with words, but they are gone.

⁸
He who gains wisdom and good sense loves (preserves) his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good and prosper.

⁹
A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes lies will perish.

¹⁰
Luxury is not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

¹¹
Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger,
And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment].

¹²
The king’s wrath terrifies like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is as [refreshing and nourishing as] dew on the grass.