What does Proverbs Chapter 18 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Opening sayings preserve their words and attribution. Images and reported speech remain distinct from added interpretation. Future and conditional assertions retain their scope in the closing sayings.

Chapter breakdown

Proverbs 18 says departing friend seeks occasions and shall suffer reproach. Fool accepts prudence only when words match his heart. Deeply sinful wicked contemns but reproach follows. Human mouth words are deep water, wisdom fountain flowing stream. Wicked partiality departs judgment truth. Fool lips enter strife, mouth provokes and destroys, lips ruin soul. Double-tongued words seem harmless but reach inward bowels; fear lowers slothful, effeminate souls shall hunger. Slack worker is brother to work waster.

Lord’s name is strong tower: just runs and shall be exalted. Rich substance is strength’s city and surrounding strong wall; imaginary is not supplied. Heart exalted before destruction, humbled before glory. Answering before hearing is foolish and confusing. Spirit upholds infirmity; who bears easily angered spirit? Wise heart shall gain knowledge, ear seeks instruction. Gift enlarges way and princes’ access. Just first accuses self, friend comes and shall search; friend is not adversary. Lot suppresses contention even among mighty. Brother-helped brother strong city, judgments city bars.

Mouth fruit shall fill belly and lip offspring satisfy; death and life in tongue power, lovers shall eat fruits. Good-wife finder finds good and shall receive Lord’s pleasure; driving away good wife drives good away, keeping adulteress foolish and wicked. Poor shall supplicate, rich speak roughly; amiable society man shall be friendlier than brother. Source comparisons are not a sole-objective-security doctrine or magic-recitation theory.

The story inside

Opening: Opening sayings preserve their words and attribution. Development: Images and reported speech remain distinct from added interpretation. Conclusion: Future and conditional assertions retain their scope in the closing sayings.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Opening sayings preserve their words and attribution.
2
Images and reported speech remain distinct from added interpretation.
3
Future and conditional assertions retain their scope in the closing sayings.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 68767–68768
Words from the mouth of a man are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream.
Lines 68786–68787
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted.
Lines 68792–68793
Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled.
Lines 68807–68808
The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.
Lines 68813–68814
A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities.
Lines 68819–68820
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.
Lines 68822–68823
He that hath found a good wife, hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord.