Proverbs 18:1
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
Proverbs 18:1 in other translations
| BSB | He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment. |
|---|---|
| WEB | A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment. |
| ASV | He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom. |
| YLT | For an object of desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth. |
| DARBY | He that separateth himself seeketh his pleasure, he is vehement against all sound wisdom. |
| BBE | He who keeps himself separate for his private purpose goes against all good sense. |
| Webster | Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. |
What does Proverbs 18:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
The man who separates himself and seeks wisdom. The fool and the wicked man. Deep wisdom. Contention of fools. The talebearer and the slothful. The name of the Lord. Pride and presumption because of riches. Hastiness of spirit. The wounded spirit. The influence of gifts. The lot. The offended brother. The influence of the tongue. A wife a good from God. The true friend. Verse 1 Through desire a man, having separated himself - The original is difficult and obscure. The Vulgate, Septuagint, and Arabic, read as follows: "He who wishes to break with his friend, and seeks occasions or pretenses shall at all times be worthy of blame." My old MS. Bible translates, Occasioun seeketh that wil go awei fro a freend: at al tyme he schal ben wariable. Coverdale thus: "Who so hath pleasure to sowe discorde, piketh a quarrel in every thinge." Bible by Barker, 1615: "Fro the desire thereof he will separate himself to seeke it, and occupie himself in all wisdome." Which has in the margin the following note: "He that loveth wisdom will separate himself from all impediments, and give himself wholly to seek it." The Hebrew: לתאוה יבקש נפרד בכל תושיה יתגלע lethaavah yebakkesh niphrad, bechol tushiyah yithgalla. The nearest translation to the words is perhaps the following: "He who is separated shall seek the desired thing, (i.e., the object of his desire), and shall intermeddle (mingle himself) with all realities or all essential knowledge." He finds that he can make little progress in the investigation of Divine and natural things, if he have much to do with secular or trifliing matters: he therefore separates himself as well from unprofitable pursuits as from frivolous company, and then enters into the spirit of his pursuit; is not satisfied with superficial observances, but examines the substance and essence, as far as possible, of those things which have been the objects of his desire. This appears to me the best meaning: the reader may judge for himself.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Proverbs 18:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Proverbs 18:1
- Ephesians 5:15-17
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
- Proverbs 20:3
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
- Proverbs 2:1-6
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; …
- Jeremiah 15:17
I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
- Proverbs 24:21
My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
- Jude 1:19
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
- Mark 1:35
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
- Proverbs 14:10
The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
- Isaiah 26:8-9
Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
- Exodus 33:16
For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
- Proverbs 26:17
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
- Matthew 13:44
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ex 33:16; Zec 7:3; Ro 1:1; 2Co 6:17; Jude 1:19
seeketh.
2:1-6; Mt 13:11,44; Mr 4:11; Eph 5:15-17
intermeddleth.
14:10; 17:14; 20:3,19; 24:21; 26:17; Isa 26:8,9; Jer 15:17; Mr 1:35
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Proverbs 18:1
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
- Proverbs 18:2
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
Proverbs 18:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | SEGÚN su antojo busca el que se desvía, y se entremete en todo negocio. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Celui qui se tient à l’écart recherche ce qui lui plaît; il conteste contre toute sagesse. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Wer sich absondert, trachtet nach einem Gelüst; gegen alle Einsicht geht er heftig an. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Occasiones quærit qui vult recedere ab amico: omni tempore erit exprobrabilis. |