Proverbs 18King James Version
A wounded spirit who can bear? The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. He that hath friends must shew himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
The isolated person seeks his own desire; wisdom comes through counsel. 'A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men' (verse 16). 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof' (verse 21). A good wife is from the LORD (verse 22). 'The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe' (verse 10).
Speech has ultimate stakes: life and death. The tongue, more than any other organ, determines outcomes.
18:10: 'The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.' A rare explicitly devotional image in the middle of a wisdom collection.
Ancient legal proceedings where testimony was decisive (verses 5, 13, 17) reflect a society without modern evidence collection, where a witness's words carried enormous social and legal weight.
Solomon's wisdom collected; no named characters. The 'good wife' of verse 22 as a brief but significant positive figure.
The 'death and life in the tongue' verse (21) is not hyperbole. The chapter makes this concrete: false testimony destroys (verse 17), a gift opens doors (verse 16), and careless speech wounds (verse 13). The tower image of verse 10 is one of the most beloved in all of Proverbs and is picked up in Psalm 18 and other passages.
For when you are about to say something in anger or haste and you feel the weight of it. The chapter gives that feeling a name: death and life.
1Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
3When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
5It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
7A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
8The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
10The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
12Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
13He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
14The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
17He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
18The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
19A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
23The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.