Veritable King James Version
1Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.
2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful child and share the inheritance among siblings.
3The crucible tests silver, and the furnace tests gold, but the Lord tests hearts.
4An evildoer heeds wicked lips; a liar listens to a destructive tongue.
5Whoever mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their parents.
7Fine speech does not suit a fool, much less lying lips a noble person.
8A bribe seems a charm to its giver; wherever they turn, they prosper.
9Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.
10A rebuke sinks deeper into the discerning than a hundred blows into a fool.
11An evil person seeks only rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in their folly.
13Whoever repays evil for good, evil will not depart their house.
14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; stop it before strife breaks out.
15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the Lord.
16Why is wealth in a fool’s hand, when they lack the sense to gain wisdom?
17A friend loves at all times, and a sibling is born for adversity.
18A person lacking sense shakes hands, pledging surety before their neighbor.
19Whoever loves transgression loves strife; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20A perverse heart finds no good; a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
21To have a fool for a child brings grief; no joy comes from a senseless parent.
22A joyful heart promotes healing, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
23A wicked person takes a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.
24Wisdom is before the discerning; a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25A foolish child is a vexation to their parent, and bitterness to the one who bore them.
26To punish the righteous is not good, nor to strike the noble for uprightness.
27Whoever spares their words has knowledge; a cool spirit marks a person of understanding.
28Even a fool, when silent, is deemed wise; one who seals their lips, discerning. Proverbs 18 The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 18 – VKJV
Translation notes
In verse 1, Hebrew pat (“crust”) and shalom (“peace”) contrast with zebakhim (“feasting”) and rib (“strife”), emphasizing tranquility’s value; cross-reference Proverbs 15:17. Verse 2’s ebed maskil (“wise servant”) and ben mebish (“disgraceful child”) use inclusive “child” and “siblings” for banim, aligning with gender-neutral principles; theologically, wisdom elevates status (cf. Proverbs 14:35). Verse 3’s matzref (“crucible”) and kur (“furnace”) metaphorically depict divine testing of libbot (“hearts”); cross-reference Psalm 66:10. Verse 4’s ra’ (“evildoer”) and shav (“liar”) parallel sinful inclinations; lashon havvot (“destructive tongue”) implies harmful speech. Verse 5 links mocking the poor to insulting osehu (“their Maker”), with theological weight on divine creation (cf. Proverbs 14:31); samakh l’ed (“gloats over calamity”) ensures punishment. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants (e.g., 4QProv) alter this section, affirming Masoretic Text reliability.
Verse 6’s ateret (“crown”) and tiferet (“glory”) depict familial pride; b’nei banim (“sons of sons”) is rendered “grandchildren” for inclusivity. Verse 7’s sefat yeter (“fine speech”) and nabil (“noble person”) contrast folly and deceit; theologically, integrity aligns with character (cf. Psalm 120:2). Verse 8’s shokhad (“bribe”) as a “charm” (even chen) reflects the giver’s perspective, not endorsement; cross-reference Proverbs 15:27. Verse 9’s m’khasseh pesha (“covers an offense”) promotes forgiveness, while shoneh dabar (“repeats a matter”) warns against gossip; cross-reference Proverbs 10:12. Verse 10 contrasts mebin (“discerning”) with k’sil (“fool”), emphasizing receptivity to correction; me’ah makkot (“hundred blows”) is hyperbole. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 11’s ra’ (“evil person”) and meri (“rebellion”) denote defiance; mal’akh akhzari (“cruel messenger”) may imply divine judgment (cf. Psalm 78:49). Verse 12’s dov shakkul (“bear robbed of her cubs”) vividly contrasts a fool’s danger; k’sil b’iwwalto (“fool in their folly”) uses inclusive pronouns. Verse 13’s meshalem ra’ah tachat tovah (“repays evil for good”) warns of persistent consequences; cross-reference Proverbs 17:5. Verse 14’s poter mayim (“breaching a dam”) metaphorically depicts conflict escalation; rib (“strife”) urges preemptive resolution (cf. Proverbs 20:3). Verse 15’s matzdik rasha (“acquitting the guilty”) and marshi’a tzaddik (“condemning the righteous”) are to’evat YHWH (“detestable to the Lord”), emphasizing divine justice; cross-reference Isaiah 5:20. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
Verse 16’s mekhir (“wealth”) and k’sil (“fool”) question misplaced resources; lev (“sense”) ties to wisdom’s absence (cf. Proverbs 15:21). Verse 17’s rea ohev b’kol et (“friend loves at all times”) and ach (“sibling”) use inclusive terms; tzara (“adversity”) highlights loyalty. Verse 18’s chasar lev (“lacking sense”) and taqa kaph (“shakes hands”) critique reckless pledges; cross-reference Proverbs 6:1–5. Verse 19’s ohev pesha (“loves transgression”) parallels ohev matzah (“loves strife”); magbiah petach (“high gate”) symbolizes prideful vulnerability (cf. Proverbs 16:18). Verse 20’s ikkesh lev (“perverse heart”) and nehpak lashon (“deceitful tongue”) ensure ruin; cross-reference Proverbs 10:31. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 21’s k’sil (“fool”) and tugah (“grief”) contrast simchah (“joy”); ben is rendered “child” for inclusivity. Verse 22’s lev sameach (“joyful heart”) and marpe (“healing”) contrast ruach nekhe’ah (“broken spirit”) and yabesh atzamot (“dries the bones”); cross-reference Proverbs 15:13. Verse 23’s shokhad (“bribe”) and me’cheq (“in secret”) highlight corruption; natah mishpat (“pervert justice”) has theological weight (cf. Exodus 23:8). Verse 24’s mebin (“discerning”) keeps chokhmah (“wisdom”) in focus, unlike a fool’s wandering; cross-reference Proverbs 4:25. Verse 25 repeats k’sil ben (“foolish child”) and adds marah (“bitterness”) for emotional impact; yoladto (“the one who bore them”) is inclusive. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
Verse 26’s anosh tzaddik (“punish the righteous”) and nagaph nedibim (“strike the noble”) are unjust acts; al yosher (“for uprightness”) emphasizes moral integrity (cf. Proverbs 17:15). Verse 27’s chasakh d’varav (“spares their words”) and qar ruach (“cool spirit”) denote restraint and wisdom; ish tevunah (“person of understanding”) is gender-neutral. Verse 28’s k’sil macharish (“fool, when silent”) and otem s’fatayim (“seals their lips”) suggest silence masks folly; theologically, discretion aligns with wisdom (cf. Proverbs 10:19). No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section, affirming Masoretic Text stability.
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