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Proverbs chapter 18 in Hebrew and English

24 verses, about 2 minutes to read aloud. The Hebrew has its vowel points and the English stands under each verse.

The whole chapter is here, a verse to a line.

לְתַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּשׁ נִפְרָד בְּכָל־תּוּשִׁיָּה יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃

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

לֹא־יַחְפֹּץ כְּסִיל בִּתְבוּנָה כִּי אִם־בְּהִתְגַּלּוֹת לִבּֽוֹ׃

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

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

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

מַיִם עֲמֻקִּים דִּבְרֵי פִי־אִישׁ נַחַל נֹבֵעַ מְקוֹר חָכְמָֽה׃

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

שְׂאֵת פְּנֵי־רָשָׁע לֹא־טוֹב לְהַטּוֹת צַדִּיק בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

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

שִׂפְתֵי כְסִיל יָבֹאוּ בְרִיב וּפִיו לְמַהֲלֻמוֹת יִקְרָֽא׃

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

פִּי־כְסִיל מְחִתָּה־לוֹ וּשְׂפָתָיו מוֹקֵשׁ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

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

דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

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

גַּם מִתְרַפֶּה בִמְלַאכְתּוֹ אָח הוּא לְבַעַל מַשְׁחִֽית׃

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

מִגְדַּל־עֹז שֵׁם יְהוָה בּוֹ־יָרוּץ צַדִּיק וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃

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

הוֹן עָשִׁיר קִרְיַת עֻזּוֹ וּכְחוֹמָה נִשְׂגָּבָה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתֽוֹ׃

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

לִפְנֵי־שֶׁבֶר יִגְבַּהּ לֵב־אִישׁ וְלִפְנֵי כָבוֹד עֲנָוָֽה׃

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

מֵשִׁיב דָּבָר בְּטֶרֶם יִשְׁמָע אִוֶּלֶת הִיא־לוֹ וּכְלִמָּֽה׃

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

רוּחַ־אִישׁ יְכַלְכֵּל מַחֲלֵהוּ וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה מִי יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃

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

לֵב נָבוֹן יִקְנֶה־דָּעַת וְאֹזֶן חֲכָמִים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־דָּֽעַת׃

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

מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ וְלִפְנֵי גְדֹלִים יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃

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

צַדִּיק הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּרִיבוֹ וּבָא־רֵעֵהוּ וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃

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

מִדְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּית הַגּוֹרָל וּבֵין עֲצוּמִים יַפְרִֽיד׃

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

אָח נִפְשָׁע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹז וּמִדְיָנִים כִּבְרִיחַ אַרְמֽוֹן׃

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

מִפְּרִי פִי־אִישׁ תִּשְׂבַּע בִּטְנוֹ תְּבוּאַת שְׂפָתָיו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃

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

מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁוֹן וְאֹהֲבֶיהָ יֹאכַל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃

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

מָצָא אִשָּׁה מָצָא טוֹב וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃

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

תַּחֲנוּנִים יְדַבֶּר־רָשׁ וְעָשִׁיר יַעֲנֶה עַזּֽוֹת׃

The poor useth entreaties; But the rich answereth impudently.

אִישׁ רֵעִים לְהִתְרֹעֵעַ וְיֵשׁ אֹהֵב דָּבֵק מֵאָֽח׃

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

The Hebrew is the Leningrad Codex, free to view and copy, compared letter by letter with a second edition, Miqra according to the Masorah, under the CC BY-SA licence. The English is the Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917, in the public domain.

Where this chapter stands in the Tanakh.

  • Chapter 18 of the 31 chapters of Proverbs
  • Proverbs is one of the Writings
  • 24 verses, 175 words, about 2 minutes to read

Proverbs has 31 chapters, and each one has its own page.

All of Proverbs·All the books of the Tanakh·Psalms and prayers

Questions about this chapter

How many verses does Proverbs chapter 18 have?

Proverbs chapter 18 has 24 verses and 175 words.

How does Proverbs chapter 18 begin?

The first verse begins in Hebrew with the words לתאוה יבקש נפרד בכל־תושיה.

Where does Proverbs chapter 18 stand in the Tanakh?

It is chapter 18 of the 31 chapters of Proverbs, which is one of the Writings.

How long does it take to read Proverbs chapter 18?

About 2 minutes, at a steady pace.