Proverbs 18:16-24

16 A man's ¹gift makes room for him And brings him before great men.

17 The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.

18 The cast ²lot puts an end to strife And decides between the mighty ones.

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.

20 With the ³fruit of a man's mouth his stomach will be satisfied; ⁴He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.

21 ⁵Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its ⁶fruit.

22 He who finds a ⁷wife finds a good thing And ⁸obtains favor from the LORD.

23 The ⁹poor man utters supplications, But the ¹⁰rich man ¹¹answers roughly.

24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is ¹²a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 32:20; 1 Samuel 25:27
• 2. Proverbs 16:33
• 3. Proverbs 12:14
• 4. Proverbs 14:14
• 5. Proverbs 12:13; Proverbs 13:3; Matthew 12:37
• 6. Proverbs 13:2; Isaiah 3:10; Hosea 10:13
• 7. Genesis 2:18; Proverbs 12:4; Proverbs 19:14; Proverbs 31:10-31
• 8. Proverbs 8:35
• 9. Proverbs 19:7
• 10. James 2:3, 6
• 11. 1 Kings 12:13; 2 Chronicles 10:13
• 12. Proverbs 17:17; John 15:14, 15

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "in his plea"
• [b] Lit "his neighbor"
• [c] Lit "makes a division"
• [d] I.e. speech
• [e] Lit "hand"
• [f] Lit "be broken in pieces"
• [g] Or "lover"