18:1

לְתַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּשׁ נִפְרָד בְּכָל־תּוּשִׁיָּה יִתְגַּלָּע׃

He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And snarlest against all sound wisdom.

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18:2

לֹא־יַחְפֹּץ כְּסִיל בִּתְבוּנָה כִּי אִם־בְּהִתְגַּלּוֹת לִבּוֹ׃

A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may lay itself bare.

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18:3

בְּבוֹא־רָשָׁע בָּא גַם־בּוּז וְעִם־קָלוֹן חֶרְפָּה׃

When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, And with ignominy reproach.

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18:4

מַיִם עֲמֻקִּים דִּבְרֵי פִי־אִישׁ נַחַל נֹבֵעַ מְקוֹר חָכְמָה׃

The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters; A flowing brook, a fountain of wisdom.

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18:5

שְׂאֵת פְּנֵי־רָשָׁע לֹא־טוֹב לְהַטּוֹת צַדִּיק בַּמִּשְׁפָּט׃

It is not good to respect the person of the wicked, So as to turn aside the righteous in judgment.

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18:6

שִׂפְתֵי כְסִיל יָבֹאוּ בְרִיב וּפִיו לְמַהֲלֻמוֹת יִקְרָא׃

A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for strokes.

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18:7

פִּי־כְסִיל מְחִתָּה־לוֹ וּשְׂפָתָיו מוֹקֵשׁ נַפְשׁוֹ׃

A fool’s mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

18:8

דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָטֶן׃

The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

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18:9

גַּם מִתְרַפֶּה בִמְלַאכְתּוֹ אָח הוּא לְבַעַל מַשְׁחִית׃

Even one that is slack in his work Is brother to him that is a destroyer. .

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18:10

מִגְדַּל־עֹז שֵׁם יְהוָה בּוֹ־יָרוּץ צַדִּיק וְנִשְׂגָּב׃

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: The righteous runneth into it, and is set up on high.

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18:11

הוֹן עָשִׁיר קִרְיַת עֻזּוֹ וּכְחוֹמָה נִשְׂגָּבָה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתוֹ׃

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And as a high wall in his own conceit.

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18:12

לִפְנֵי־שֶׁבֶר יִגְבַּהּ לֵב־אִישׁ וְלִפְנֵי כָבוֹד עֲנָוָה׃

Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honour goeth humility.

18:13

מֵשִׁיב דָּבָר בְּטֶרֶם יִשְׁמָע אִוֶּלֶת הִיא־לוֹ וּכְלִמָּה׃

He that giveth answer before he heareth, It is folly and confusion unto him.

18:14

רוּחַ־אִישׁ יְכַלְכֵּל מַחֲלֵהוּ וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה מִי יִשָּׂאֶנָּה׃

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a broken spirit who can bear?

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18:15

לֵב נָבוֹן יִקְנֶה־דָּעַת וְאֹזֶן חֲכָמִים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־דָּעַת׃

The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

18:16

מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ וְלִפְנֵי גְדֹלִים יַנְחֶנּוּ׃

A man’s gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.

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18:17

צַדִּיק הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּרִיבוֹ יבא־[וּבָא־] רֵעֵהוּ וַחֲקָרוֹ׃

He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just; But his neighbour cometh and searcheth him out.

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18:18

מִדְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּית הַגּוֹרָל וּבֵין עֲצוּמִים יַפְרִיד׃

The lot causeth strife to cease, And parteth asunder the contentious.

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18:19

אָח נִפְשָׁע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹז ומדונים [וּמִדְיָנִים] כִּבְרִיחַ אַרְמוֹן׃

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city; And their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

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18:20

מִפְּרִי פִי־אִישׁ תִּשְׂבַּע בִּטְנוֹ תְּבוּאַת שְׂפָתָיו יִשְׂבָּע׃

A man’s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.

18:21

מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁוֹן וְאֹהֲבֶיהָ יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ׃

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that indulge it shall eat the fruit thereof.

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18:22

מָצָא אִשָּׁה מָצָא טוֹב וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן מֵיְהוָה׃

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a great good, And obtaineth favour of the LORD.

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18:23

תַּחֲנוּנִים יְדַבֶּר־רָשׁ וְעָשִׁיר יַעֲנֶה עַזּוֹת׃

The poor useth entreaties; But the rich answereth impudently.

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18:24

אִישׁ רֵעִים לְהִתְרֹעֵעַ וְיֵשׁ אֹהֵב דָּבֵק מֵאָח׃

There are friends that one hath to his own hurt; But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

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