Proverbs 18:1
He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.
BSB
ASV
He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom.
KJV
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
The text and the marginal readings indicate the two chief constructions of this somewhat difficult verse. Other renderings are (1) He who separateth himself from others seeks his own desire, and rushes forward against all wise counsel: a warning against self-will and the self-assertion which exults in differing from the received customs and opinions of mankind. (2) he who separates himself (from the foolish, unlearned multitude) seeks his own desire (that which is worthy to be desired), and mingleth himself with all wisdom. So the Jewish commentators generally.
Through desire . . . seeketh--that is, seeks selfish gratification. intermeddleth . . . wisdom--or, "rushes on" (Pr 17:14) against all wisdom, or what is valuable (Pr 2:7).
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
The walk8
Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.
Through
Proverbs 20:3It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.
leads to
He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
Through
Proverbs 24:21My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
leads to
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
Through
Jeremiah 15:17I never sat with the band of revelers, nor did I celebrate with them. Because Your hand was on me, I sat alone, for You have filled me with indignation.
leads to
Let him sit alone in silence, for God has disciplined him.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.
