HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 944
P RO VERBS 1 8
27
A truly wise person uses few words;
a person with understanding is
even-tempered.
28
Even fools are thought wise when they
keep silent;
with their mouths shut, they seem
intelligent.
18
Unfriendly people care only about
themselves;
they lash out at common sense.
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12
Haughtiness goes before destruction;
humility precedes honor.
13
Spouting off before listening to the facts
is both shameful and foolish.
14
The human spirit can endure a sick body,
but who can bear a crushed spirit?
15
Intelligent people are always ready to learn.
Their ears are open for knowledge.
16
Giving a gift can open doors;
it gives access to important people!
17
The first to speak in court sounds right—
until the cross-examination begins.
18
Flipping a coin* can end arguments;
it settles disputes between powerful
opponents.
19
An offended friend is harder to win back
than a fortified city.
Arguments separate friends like a gate
locked with bars.
1
2
Fools have no interest in understanding;
they only want to air their own opinions.
3
Doing wrong leads to disgrace,
and scandalous behavior brings
contempt.
4
Wise words are like deep waters;
wisdom flows from the wise like
a bubbling brook.
5
It is not right to acquit the guilty
or deny justice to the innocent.
20
6
Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels;
they are asking for a beating.
Wise words satisfy like a good meal;
the right words bring satisfaction.
21
7
The mouths of fools are their ruin;
they trap themselves with their lips.
The tongue can bring death or life;
those who love to talk will reap the
consequences.
8
Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
22
The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
and he receives favor from the Lord.
9
A lazy person is as bad as
someone who destroys things.
23
The poor plead for mercy;
the rich answer with insults.
10
The name of the Lord is a strong fortress;
the godly run to him and are safe.
24
11
The rich think of their wealth as a strong
defense;
they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.
There are “friends” who destroy each other,
but a real friend sticks closer than a
brother.
• Communication
19
Better to be poor and honest
than to be dishonest and a fool.
2
Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good;
haste makes mistakes.
3
People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the Lord.
4
Wealth makes many “friends”;
poverty drives them all away.
5
A false witness will not go unpunished,
nor will a liar escape.
6
Many seek favors from a ruler;
everyone is the friend of a person who
gives gifts!
7
The relatives of the poor despise them;
how much more will their friends
avoid them!
Though the poor plead with them,
their friends are gone.
PR OV E R B S 1 8 :2 1
Words may appear to be harmless,
merely little containers that carry ideas
and thoughts. But what they carry can
be deadly. Our words can destroy a
spouse’s self-esteem or a child’s sense
of personal value. With our own words
we can tear ourselves down by repeating
what is negative, discouraging, or
simply untrue. With our words we can
discourage or frighten others, or destroy
their reputation. Our words may be evil
and thus violate God’s holy ways for us.
Words bring consequences as surely as
actions do.
1
18:18 Hebrew Casting lots.