# Proverbs 21.18

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Proverbs](/codex/proverbs/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 16. The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead. 17. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
>
> **18. The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; And the treacherous cometh in the stead of the upright.**
>
> 19. It is better to dwell in a desert land, Than with a contentious and fretful woman. 20. There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; But a foolish man swalloweth it up. (Proverbs 21:16-20, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 16. The man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall rest in the assembly of the departed spirits. 17. He who loves pleasure shall be a poor man. He who loves wine and oil shall not be rich.
>
> **18. The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; the treacherous for the upright.**
>
> 19. It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman. 20. There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swallows it up. (Proverbs 21:16-20, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 16. The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. 17. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. <sup>pleasure: or, sport</sup>
>
> **18. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.**
>
> 19. It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. <sup>in: Heb. in the land of the desert</sup> 20. There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. (Proverbs 21:16-20, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 16. A man who is wandering from the way of understanding, In an assembly of Rephaim resteth. 17. Whoso [is] loving mirth [is] a poor man, Whoso is loving wine and oil maketh no wealth.
>
> **18. The wicked [is] an atonement for the righteous, And for the upright the treacherous dealer.**
>
> 19. Better to dwell in a wilderness land, Than [with] a woman of contentions and anger. 20. A treasure to be desired, and oil, [Is] in the habitation of the wise, And a foolish man swalloweth it up. (Proverbs 21:16-20, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
---

_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## 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.