The Selfishness of the Unfriendly
Proverbs 18:17
In 11 translations
- BSB
- The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
- KJV
- He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
- WEB
- He who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.
- ASV
- He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just; But his neighbor cometh and searcheth him out.
- LSV
- The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, || [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
- YLT
- Righteous [is] the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.
- DBY
- He that is first in his own cause [seemeth] just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
- DRC
- The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.
- GNV
- He that is first in his owne cause, is iust: then commeth his neighbour, and maketh inquirie of him.
- JPS
- He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him out.
- LXXE
- A righteous man accuses himself at the beginning of his speech, but when he has entered upon the attack, the adversary is reproved.Comp. Mark 14. ult. and margin, with 2 Tim. 4. 14-17.
Word by word Hebrew · tap a word
Words in brackets are English the glossers added; the Hebrew has no word for them, and they can carry a choice of tense or meaning.
Where the editions differ
Editions are published forms of the Hebrew and Greek texts. Meet the editions and sources →
- Written (Ketiv): יָבֹא (“he will come”). Read aloud (Qere): וּבָֽא (“and he will come”) — the form shown in the word-by-word reader.
Spelling, punctuation and minor wording (1)
- Leningrad Codex reads יּבָֽא־; read aloud (Qere) reads וּבָֽא (“and he will come”).
Edition differences: STEP Bible, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0). Names and codes expanded; consecutive words grouped. Comparisons follow the editions used by the source; see version details.
Original-language editions
- WLC
- צַדִּ֣יק הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן בְּרִיב֑וֹ יבא־רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃Read aloud as (qere): וּבָֽא
- LXX-Br
- Δίκαιος ἑαυτοῦ κατήγορος ἐν πρωτολογίᾳ, ὡς δʼ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃ ὁ ἀντίδικος ἐλέγχεται.
In the reference works topics that cite this verse
From public-domain Bible dictionaries and topical indexes (1884–1915).
Cross-references most cited first
- Proverbs 18:13He who answers a matter before he hears it— this is folly and disgrace to him.
- Acts 24:12–13Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city. Nor can they prove to you any of their charges against me.
- 2 Samuel 19:24–27Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely. And he came…
- Acts 24:5–6We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.
- 2 Samuel 16:1–3When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred…
From the OpenBible.info cross-reference set (votes from readers; not every link is a quotation or allusion).