Proverbs Chapter 16 verse 18 Holy Bible
Pride `goeth' before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
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Pride goes before destruction, and a stiff spirit before a fall.
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Pride [goeth] before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
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Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
read chapter 16 in KJV
read chapter 16 in WBT
Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
read chapter 16 in WEB
Before destruction `is' pride, And before stumbling -- a haughty spirit.'
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Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 18. - Pride goeth before destruction. A maxim continually enforced (see Proverbs 11:2; Proverbs 17:19; Proverbs 18:12). Here is the contrast to the blessing on humility promised (Proverbs 15:33). A haughty spirit - a lifting up of spirit - goeth before a fall (comp. Daniel 4:29, etc). Thus, according to Herodotus (7:10), Artabanus warned the arrogant Xerxes, "Seest thou how God strikes with the thunder animals which overtop others, and suffers them not to vaunt themselves, but the small irritate him not? And seest thou how he hurls his bolts always against the mightiest buildings and the loftiest trees? For God is wont to cut short whatever is too highly exalted" (comp. Horace, 'Carm.,' 2:10.9, etc.). Says the Latin adage, "Qui petit alta nimis, retro lapsus ponitur imis." Caesar, 'Bell. Gall.,' 1:14, "Consuesse Deos immortales, quo gravius homines ex commutatione rerum doleant, quos pro sceiere eorum ulcisci velint, his secundiores interdum re, et diuturuiorem impunitatem concedere." The Chinese say, "Who flies not high falls not low;" and, "A great tree attracts the wind." The Basque proverb remarks, "Pride sought flight in heaven, fell to hell." And an Eastern one, "What is extended will tear; what is long will break" (Lane).
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(18) Pride goeth before destruction.--In contrast to the blessing promised to humility in Proverbs 15:33.