Proverbs 18:11-21

11 Rich people trust their wealth to protect them. They think it is like the high walls of a city.

12 Proud people will be ruined, but the humble will be honored.

13 Anyone who answers without listening is foolish and confused.

14 The will to live can get you through sickness, but no one can live with a broken spirit.

15 The mind of a person with understanding gets knowledge; the wise person listens to learn more.

16 Taking a gift to an important man will help get you in to see him.

17 The person who tells one side of a story seems right, until someone else comes and asks questions.

18 Throwing lots can settle arguments and keep 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 People will be rewarded for what they say; they will be rewarded by how they speak.

21 What you say can mean life or death. Those who speak with care will be rewarded.