The Message

Proverbs 18:1-14 The Message (MSG)

1. Loners who care only for themselvesspit on the common good.

2. Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse;all they do is run off at the mouth.

3. When wickedness arrives, shame’s not far behind;contempt for life is contemptible.

4. Many words rush along like rivers in flood,but deep wisdom flows up from artesian springs.

5. It’s not right to go easy on the guilty,or come down hard on the innocent.

6. The words of a fool start fights;do him a favor and gag him.

7. Fools are undone by their big mouths;their souls are crushed by their words.

8. Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy;do you really want junk like that in your belly?

9. Slack habits and sloppy workare as bad as vandalism.

10. God’s name is a place of protection—good people can run there and be safe.

11. The rich think their wealth protects them;they imagine themselves safe behind it.

12. Pride first, then the crash,but humility is precursor to honor.

13. Answering before listeningis both stupid and rude.

14. A healthy spirit conquers adversity,but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?