Proverbs 18:17
New International Version
In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.

New Living Translation
The first to speak in court sounds right— until the cross-examination begins.

English Standard Version
The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

Berean Standard Bible
The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

King James Bible
He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

New King James Version
The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

New American Standard Bible
The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.

NASB 1995
The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.

NASB 1977
The first to plead his case seems just, Until another comes and examines him.

Legacy Standard Bible
The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.

Amplified Bible
The first one to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and cross-examines him.

Christian Standard Bible
The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

American Standard Version
He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just; But his neighbor cometh and searcheth him out.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A man is innocent in his own judgment, and when his neighbor comes, he examines him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A righteous man accuses himself at the beginning of his speech, but when he has entered upon the attack, the adversary is reproved.

Contemporary English Version
You may think you have won your case in court, until your opponent speaks.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.

English Revised Version
He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him out.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The first to state his case seems right [until] his neighbor comes to cross-examine him.

Good News Translation
The first person to speak in court always seems right until his opponent begins to question him.

International Standard Version
The first to put forth his case seems right, until someone else steps forward and cross-examines him.

JPS Tanakh 1917
He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just; But his neighbour cometh and searcheth him out.

Literal Standard Version
The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, | [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.

Majority Standard Bible
The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

New American Bible
Those who plead the case first seem to be in the right; then the opponent comes and cross-examines them.

NET Bible
The first to state his case seems right, until his opponent begins to cross-examine him.

New Revised Standard Version
The one who first states a case seems right, until the other comes and cross-examines.

New Heart English Bible
He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.

Webster's Bible Translation
He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him.

World English Bible
He who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.

Young's Literal Translation
Righteous is the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Selfishness of the Unfriendly
16A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men. 17The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him. 18Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.…

Cross References
Proverbs 18:16
A man's gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.

Proverbs 18:18
Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.


Treasury of Scripture

He that is first in his own cause seems just; but his neighbor comes and searches him.

Proverbs 18:13
He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

2 Samuel 16:1-3
And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine…

2 Samuel 19:24-27
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace…

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Case Cause Examines First Forward Judge Light Neighbor Neighbour Plead Pleadeth Pleads Present Puts Questions Right Righteous Searched Searcheth Seemeth Seems States True.
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Case Cause Examines First Forward Judge Light Neighbor Neighbour Plead Pleadeth Pleads Present Puts Questions Right Righteous Searched Searcheth Seemeth Seems States True.
Proverbs 18
1. A fool delights not in understanding














(17) He that is first in his own cause seemeth just.--A man who tells his own story can make a good case for himself out of it, "but his neighbour" (i.e., his adversary in the suit) "cometh and searcheth him," sifts his statements, and shows them to be untenable.

Verse 17. - He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; Revised Version, he that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just. A man who tells his own story, and is the first to open his case before the judge or a third party, seems tot the moment to have justice on his side. But his neighbour cometh and searcheth him out (Proverbs 28:11). The "neighbour" is the opposing party - ὁ ἀντίδικος Septuagint, which recalls Matthew 5:25 - he sifts and scrutinizes the statements already given, shows them to be erroneous, or weakens the evidence which appeared to support them. Thus the maxims, "One story is good till the other is told," and "Audi alteram partem," receive confirmation. Vulgate, Justus prior est accusator sui. So Septuagint, "The righteous is his own accuser in opening the suit (ἐν πρωτολογίᾳ)." He cuts the ground from under the adversary's feet by at once owning his fault. St. Gregory more than once, in his 'Moralia,' adduces this rendering. Thus on Job 7:11, "To put the mouth to labour is to employ it in the confession of sin done, but the righteous man doth not refrain his mouth, in that, forestalling the wrath of the searching Judge, he falls wroth upon himself in words of self-confession. Hence it is written, 'The just man is first the accuser of himself'" (so lib. 22:33).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The first
הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן (hā·ri·šō·wn)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7223: First, in place, time, rank

to state his case
בְּרִיב֑וֹ (bə·rî·ḇōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7379: Strife, dispute

seems right
צַדִּ֣יק (ṣad·dîq)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

until another
0 (0)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

comes forward
וּבָֽא־ (ū·ḇā-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and examines him.
וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃ (wa·ḥă·qā·rōw)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2713: To penetrate, to examine intimately


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 18:17 He who pleads his cause first seems (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 18:16
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