# Proverbs 18.21 **Book:** [Proverbs](/codex/proverbs/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 19. A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city; And such contentions are like the bars of a castle. 20. A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied. > > **21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.** > > 22. Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, And obtaineth favor of Jehovah. 23. The poor useth entreaties; But the rich answereth roughly. (Proverbs 18:19-23, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 19. A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city; and disputes are like the bars of a fortress. 20. A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied. > > **21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.** > > 22. Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh. 23. The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly. (Proverbs 18:19-23, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 19. A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. 20. A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. > > **21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.** > > 22. Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. 23. The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly. (Proverbs 18:19-23, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 19. A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace. 20. From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied. > > **21. Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.** > > 22. [Whoso] hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah. 23. [With] supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things. (Proverbs 18:19-23, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** Solomon (principal); Agur; Lemuel; wise men - **Audience:** young Israelite men in the wisdom tradition - **Location:** Israel, Solomonic court - **Time period:** principal composition c. 970-930 BC (Solomon); compilation c. 700 BC (Hezekiah) ## Theological reading ## Key words - [H2416 - chay](/codex/h2416-chay/), *chay* (Strong's H2416). Also appears in: [Genesis 1.21](/codex/genesis-1-21/), [Genesis 1.24-28](/codex/genesis-1-24-28/), [Genesis 1.28](/codex/genesis-1-28/). - [H4194 - mavet](/codex/h4194-mavet/), *mavet* (Strong's H4194). Also appears in: [Leviticus 11.32](/codex/leviticus-11-32/), [Deuteronomy 21](/codex/deuteronomy-21/), [Deuteronomy 22](/codex/deuteronomy-22/). ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses. ## Quoted in **Concepts:** - [Spiritual Warfare](/codex/spiritual-warfare/) - [Word curse](/codex/word-curse/)