UNROLL
One stout square tower of rough fieldstone on a bare stony ridge at first light, its low door standing open, a footpath running up to it.

Solomon’s sayings

Proverbs 18

When the bad news comes, you already know where you run.

24 verses≈ 3 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

Tap any post to go deeper

Where we are

  1. 1–7The father's talksWhy the book exists, then a father to his son
  2. 8–9Wisdom callsHer house and Folly's
  3. 10–22:16Solomon's sayingsTwo lines at a timeChapter 18
  4. 22:17–24The sayings of the wiseThirty sayings, and a few more
  5. 25–29Hezekiah's collectionMore of Solomon, copied out later
  6. 30AgurNumbered sayings from a weary man
  7. 31LemuelA mother's words, and the noble wife

The Selfishness of the Unfriendly

Sayings

A fool and his mouth

  1. Friends

    He who isolates himself

    He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires;

    he rebels against all sound judgment.

  2. Wisdom

    Airing his opinions

    A fool does not delight in understanding,

    but only in airing his opinions.

  3. Contempt comes along

    With a wicked man comes contempt as well,

    and shame is accompanied by disgrace.

  4. Words

    Deep waters

    The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;

    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

  5. Justice

    No favor to the wicked

    Showing partiality to the wicked is not good,

    nor is depriving the innocent of justice.

  6. Words

    A fool’s mouth is his ruin

    A fool’s lips bring him strife,

    and his mouth invites a beating.

    A fool’s mouth is his ruin,

    and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels

that go down into the inmost being.

Whoever is slothful in his work

is brother to him who destroys.

Reflect

Take it home

Whose side of the story have you only half heard? What would it take to hear the rest?

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10

A rich man by a clay lamp at night, looking down into an open chest of silver lumps and rings, a long crack in the thin wall behind him.

A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city;

it is like a high wall in his imagination.

Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,

but humility comes before honor.

Sayings

Listening

  1. Wisdom

    Answering before hearing

    He who answers a matter before he hears it—

    this is folly and disgrace to him.

  2. A broken spirit

    The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,

    but who can survive a broken spirit?

  3. The ear that seeks

    The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,

    and the ear of the wise seeks it out.

  4. Money

    A gift opens doors

    A man’s gift opens doors for him,

    and brings him before great men.

Question

Quick question

Back to the benches at the gate.

Who seems right, until someone else speaks?

Evening in a courtyard: a low family table of bread, figs and lentils, one man at its edge sitting very still over his food.

From the fruit of his mouth a man’s belly is filled;

with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

Life and death are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.

0:13

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

He who finds a wife finds a good thing

and obtains favor from the LORD.

The poor man pleads for mercy, but the rich man answers harshly.

A man of many companions may come to ruin,

but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

Pray

Say it to Him

LORD, when trouble comes, let me run to You first. Show me the walls I have only imagined, and take my trust out of them. Set a guard on my tongue, and give me a friend who stays, and make me one.

You’ve experienced

Proverbs 18

0 of 31 chapters read

A verse to carry with you

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10

or swipe left