Chapter text
World English Bible
Verse-by-verse text with stable anchors, canonical chapter URLs, and copyable verse links.
- 1 A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
- 2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.
- 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 brook.
- 5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
- 6 A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
- 7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
- 8 The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
- 9 One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
- 10 The LORD’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
- 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 proud, but before honor is humility.
- 13 He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
- 14 A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
- 15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
- 16 A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
- 17 He who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.
- 18 The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.
- 19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
- 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; those who love it will eat its fruit.
- 22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the LORD.
- 23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
- 24 A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.