Greetings! 

18     An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends;

he defies all sound judgment.

² A fool finds no pleasure in understanding

but delights in airing his own opinions.

I am frequently reminded of the importance to think first, then talk (or write).

³ When wickedness comes, so does contempt,

and with shame comes disgrace.

⁴ The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters,

but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

⁵ It is not good to be partial to the wicked

or to deprive the innocent of justice.

As God’s word shows many times, justice applies to both the innocent and the guilty. 

⁶ A fool’s lips bring him strife,

and his mouth invites a beating.

⁷ A fool’s mouth is his undoing,

and his lips are a snare to his soul.

⁸ The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

they go down to a man’s inmost parts.

I have gotten much better about avoiding gossip and being careful  not to start it.  I stop it when I can by asking pointed questions about the sources, accuracy and importance of the information offered. 

⁹ One who is slack in his work

is brother to one who destroys.

¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

the righteous run to it and are safe.

¹¹ The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;

they imagine it an unscalable wall.

Most of you reading this may not feel rich, but you are probably in the 2% of the richest people who ever lived. 

¹² Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,

but humility comes before honor.

¹³ He who answers before listening—

that is his folly and his shame.

¹⁴ A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness,

but a crushed spirit who can bear?

¹⁵ The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge;

the ears of the wise seek it out.

¹⁶ A gift opens the way for the giver

and ushers him into the presence of the great.

¹⁷ The first to present his case seems right,

till another comes forward and questions him.

It is important to listen to both sides of a debate.  Sometimes I find myself going back and forth as I hear more information from both sides.  Some people are good at presenting false arguments in such a way that they appear to be true.

¹⁸ Casting the lot settles disputes

and keeps strong opponents apart.

¹⁹ An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city,

and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

²⁰ From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled;

with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

²¹ The tongue has the power of life and death,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.

²² He who finds a wife finds what is good

and receives favor from the Lord.

Amen to that!  I found a great wife and have been blessed by her.

²³ A poor man pleads for mercy,

but a rich man answers harshly.

²⁴ A man of many companions may come to ruin,

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

There is apparently some wordplay here in the Hebrew.  It is better to have fewer friends who are authentic than many who are false.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.