Parallel Bible results for "proverbs 18"

Proverbs 18

MSG

NIV

1 Loners who care only for themselves spit on the common good.
1 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.
3 When wickedness arrives, shame's not far behind; contempt for life is contemptible.
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach.
4 Many words rush along like rivers in flood, but deep wisdom flows up from artesian springs.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
5 It's not right to go easy on the guilty, or come down hard on the innocent.
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked and so deprive the innocent of justice.
6 The words of a fool start fights; do him a favor and gag him.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.
7 Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words.
7 The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
8 Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
9 Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism.
9 One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.
10 God's name is a place of protection - good people can run there and be safe.
10 The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
11 The rich think their wealth protects them; they imagine themselves safe behind it.
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Pride first, then the crash, but humility is precursor to honor.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.
13 Answering before listening is both stupid and rude.
13 To answer before listening— that is folly and shame.
14 A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift gets attention; it buys the attention of eminent people.
16 A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 The first speech in a court case is always convincing - until the cross-examination starts!
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 You may have to draw straws when faced with a tough decision.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 Do a favor and win a friend forever; nothing can untie that bond.
19 A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city; disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
21 Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit - you choose.
21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 Find a good spouse, you find a good life - and even more: the favor of God!
22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.
23 The poor speak in soft supplications; the rich bark out answers.
23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
24 Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.