Proverbs 18:1
Hebrew: לְתַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּשׁ נִפְרָד בְּכָל־תּוּשִׁיָּה יִתְגַּלָּע
Translation: “One who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.”
Commentary: The unwise isolate themselves, driven by selfish cravings, rejecting collective wisdom. The wise, by contrast, value community and counsel, reflecting a spiritual humility that trusts God’s design for relationships.
Proverbs 18:2
Hebrew: לֹא־יַחְפֹּץ כְּסִיל בִּתְבוּנָה כִּי אִם־בְּהִתְגַּלּוֹת לִבּוֹ
Translation: “A fool takes no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own heart.”
Commentary: Fools prioritize self-expression over truth, a mark of spiritual pride. The wise seek understanding, showing a heart submitted to God’s wisdom rather than enslaved to ego.
Proverbs 18:3
Hebrew: בָּא־רָשָׁע בָּא גַם־בּוּז וְעִם־קָלוֹן חֶרְפָּה
Translation: “When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with disgrace comes reproach.”
Commentary: The unwise, through wicked actions, invite shame—a natural fruit of rebellion against God. The wise avoid this path, producing honor through righteousness, reflecting spiritual alignment.
Proverbs 18:4
Hebrew: מַיִם עֲמֻקִּים דִּבְרֵי פִי־אִישׁ נַחַל נֹבֵעַ מְקוֹר חָכְמָה
Translation: “The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; a flowing brook, a fountain of wisdom.”
Commentary: The wise speak words that refresh and reveal depth, sourced in divine wisdom. The unwise lack this depth, their words often shallow or destructive, showing a spiritual disconnect.
Proverbs 18:5
Hebrew: שְׂאֵת פְּנֵי־רָשָׁע לֹא־טוֹב לְהַטּוֹת צַדִּיק בַּמִּשְׁפָּט
Translation: “It is not good to lift up the face of the wicked or to turn aside the righteous in judgment.”
Commentary: The unwise pervert justice, favoring evil out of bias or gain—a spiritual corruption. The wise uphold fairness, trusting God’s standard of righteousness.
Proverbs 18:6
Hebrew: שִׂפְתֵי כְסִיל יָבֹאוּ בְרִיב וּפִיו לְמַהֲלֻמוֹת יִקְרָא
Translation: “A fool’s lips enter into strife, and his mouth calls for blows.”
Commentary: The unwise provoke conflict with reckless words, a sign of spiritual chaos. The wise restrain their speech, fostering peace and reflecting God’s order.
Proverbs 18:7
Hebrew: פִי־כְסִיל מְחִתָּה־לוֹ וְשִׂפְתָיו מוֹקֵשׁ נַפְשׁוֹ
Translation: “A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.”
Commentary: The unwise ensnare themselves through speech, endangering their spiritual well-being. The wise guard their words, preserving life and soul.
Proverbs 18:8
Hebrew: דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָטֶן
Translation: “The words of a whisperer are like tasty morsels; they go down into the chambers of the belly.”
Commentary: The unwise spread gossip, appealing to base desires and causing inner corruption. The wise reject slander, guarding their hearts spiritually.
Proverbs 18:9
Hebrew: גַּם מִתְרַפֶּה בִמְלַאכְתּוֹ אָח הוּא לְבַעַל מַשְׁחִית
Translation: “Even one who is slack in his work is a brother to the master of destruction.”
Commentary: Laziness, a trait of the unwise, aligns with ruin—a spiritual neglect of stewardship. The wise work diligently, honoring God’s call to purpose.
Proverbs 18:10
Hebrew: מִגְדַּל־עֹז שֵׁם יְהוָה בּוֹ־יָרוּץ צַדִּיק וְנִשְׂגָּב
Translation: “The name of Yahweh is a tower of strength; the righteous run to it and are lifted high.”
Commentary: The wise find refuge in God, a spiritual trust in His power. The unwise rely on themselves, missing this divine security.
Proverbs 18:11
Hebrew: הוֹן עָשִׁיר קִרְיַת עֻזּוֹ וּכְחוֹמָה נִשְׂגָּבָה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתוֹ
Translation: “The wealth of the rich is his strong city; in his imagination, it is a high wall.”
Commentary: The unwise trust in wealth, a false spiritual idol. The wise know its limits, seeking God instead.
Proverbs 18:12
Hebrew: לִפְנֵי־שֶׁבֶר יִגְבַּהּ לֵב־אִישׁ וְלִפְנֵי כָבוֹד עֲנָוָה
Translation: “Before destruction, a man’s heart is exalted; before honor comes humility.”
Commentary: Pride, the unwise path, leads to ruin; humility, the wise way, leads to honor—a spiritual truth of God’s economy.
Proverbs 18:13
Hebrew: מֵשִׁיב דָּבָר בְּטֶרֶם יִשְׁמַע אִוֶּלֶת הִיא־לוֹ וּכְלִמָּה
Translation: “He who answers a matter before hearing it—it is folly and shame to him.”
Commentary: The unwise rush to speak, showing spiritual impatience. The wise listen first, reflecting discernment.
Proverbs 18:14
Hebrew: רוּחַ־אִישׁ יְכַלְכֵּל מַחֲלֵהוּ וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה מִי יִשָּׂאֶנָּה
Translation: “A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit—who can bear it?”
Commentary: The wise endure through inner strength, often from God. The unwise crumble, lacking spiritual resilience.
Proverbs 18:15
Hebrew: לֵב נָבוֹן יִקְנֶה־דָּעַת וְאֹזֶן חֲכָמִים תְּבַקֵּשׁ דָּעַת
Translation: “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”
Commentary: The wise pursue wisdom actively, a spiritual hunger for God’s truth. The unwise remain ignorant by choice.
Proverbs 18:16
Hebrew: מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ וְלִפְנֵי גְדֹלִים יַנְחֶנּוּ
Translation: “A man’s gift makes room for him and leads him before the great.”
Commentary: The wise use gifts wisely, opening doors with integrity. The unwise may misuse them, seeking only self-interest, a spiritual misstep.
Proverbs 18:17
Hebrew: צַדִּיק הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּרִיבוֹ וּבָא־רֵעֵהוּ וַחֲקָרוֹ
Translation: “The first to plead his case seems righteous, until his neighbor comes and examines him.”
Commentary: The unwise leap to conclusions; the wise seek full truth, a spiritual commitment to justice.
Proverbs 18:18
Hebrew: מִדְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּית הַגּוֹרָל וּבֵין עֲצוּמִים יַפְרִיד
Translation: “The lot puts an end to disputes and separates the mighty.”
Commentary: The wise accept impartial solutions, trusting God’s providence. The unwise cling to conflict, resisting resolution.
Proverbs 18:19
Hebrew: אָח נִפְשָׁע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹז וּמִדְיָנִים כִּבְרִיחַ אַרְמוֹן
Translation: “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and disputes are like the bars of a fortress.”
Commentary: The unwise fuel division, hardening hearts. The wise seek reconciliation, reflecting God’s love.
Proverbs 18:20
Hebrew: מִפְּרִי פִי־אִישׁ תִּשְׂבַּע בִּטְנוֹ תְּבוּאַת שְׂפָתָיו יִשְׂבָּע
Translation: “From the fruit of a man’s mouth his belly is satisfied; with the produce of his lips he is filled.”
Commentary: The wise speak life, reaping spiritual nourishment. The unwise speak folly, harvesting emptiness.
Proverbs 18:21
Hebrew: מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁוֹן וְאֹהֲבֶיהָ יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ
Translation: “Death and life are in the hand of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Commentary: The wise wield words for life, a spiritual stewardship. The unwise wield them for death, reaping destruction.
Proverbs 18:22
Hebrew: מָצָא אִשָּׁה מָצָא טוֹב וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן מֵיְהוָה
Translation: “He who finds a wife finds good and obtains favor from Yahweh.”
Commentary: The wise value godly relationships as divine gifts. The unwise may spurn or misuse them, missing spiritual blessing.
Proverbs 18:23
Hebrew: תַּחֲנוּנִים יְדַבֶּר־רָשׁ וְעָשִׁיר יַעֲנֶה עַזּוֹת
Translation: “The poor man speaks with pleas, but the rich man answers with harshness.”
Commentary: The unwise, often rich in pride, respond cruelly—a spiritual hardness. The wise show compassion, mirroring God’s heart.
Proverbs 18:24
Hebrew: אִישׁ רֵעִים לְהִתְרוֹעֵעַ וְיֵשׁ אֹהֵב דָּבֵק מֵאָח
Translation: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Commentary: The unwise chase shallow ties, leading to spiritual ruin. The wise cultivate deep, loyal bonds, reflecting divine faithfulness.
Spiritual Difference Between Wise and Unwise
The wise align with God’s truth, producing life, peace, and honor through humility, discernment, and trust in Him. The unwise rebel, driven by pride, selfishness, and folly, reaping death, strife, and shame. Spiritually, the wise run to God as their tower (v. 10), while the unwise build frail walls of self-reliance (v. 11). This is seen in their words (v. 21), relationships (v. 24), and pursuit of knowledge (v. 15)—a heart surrendered to God versus one enslaved to self. Proverbs 18 thus reveals not just practical wisdom, but a call to spiritual fidelity.