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Proverbs 18
International Children’s Bible
Proverbs 18
International Children’s Bible
18 An unfriendly person cares only about himself.
He makes fun of all wisdom.
2 A foolish person does not want to understand anything.
He only enjoys telling others what he thinks.
3 Do something evil, and people won’t like you.
Do something shameful, and they will make fun of you.
4 Understanding people’s words is as hard as getting water out of a deep well.
But understanding wisdom is as easy as getting water from a flowing stream.
5 It is not good to honor the wicked.
Nor is it good to be unfair to the innocent.
6 A fool’s words start quarrels.
They make people want to give him a beating.
7 A fool’s words will ruin him.
He will be trapped by his own words.
8 The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food.
People take them all in.
9 A person who doesn’t work hard
is just like a person who destroys things.
10 The Lord is like a strong tower.
Those who do what is right can run to him for safety.
11 Rich people trust their wealth to protect them.
They think it is like the high walls of a city.
12 People who are proud will be ruined.
But those who are not proud will be honored.
13 A person who answers without listening
is foolish and disgraceful.
14 The will to live can get you through sickness.
But no one can live with a broken spirit.
15 The mind of a smart person is ready to get knowledge.
The wise person listens to learn more.
16 Taking a gift to an important person
will help get you in to see him.
17 The first person to tell his side of a story seems right.
But that may change when somebody comes and asks him questions.
18 Throwing lots settles arguments.
It keeps the two sides from fighting.
19 A brother who has been insulted is harder to win back than a walled city.
And arguments separate people like the barred gates of a palace.
20 What you say affects how you live.
You will be rewarded by how you speak.
21 What you say can mean life or death.
Those who love to talk will be rewarded for what they say.
22 A man who finds a wife finds something good.
She shows that the Lord is pleased with him.
23 Poor people beg for mercy.
Rich people give rude answers.
24 Some friends may ruin you.
But a real friend will be more loyal than a brother.
Proverbs 18
New International Version
Proverbs 18
New International Version
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.(A)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(B)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(E)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(H)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(I)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(L)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(M)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(N)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(O)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(P)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(Q) opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes(R)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(S) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.(T)
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(Y)
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.