Proverbs 18:5 (ASV)

Passage

To respect the person of the wicked is not good, [Nor] to turn aside the righteous in judgment.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 18:3 When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, And with ignominy [cometh] reproach.

Proverbs 18:4 The words of a man`s mouth are [as] deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is [as] a flowing brook.

Proverbs 18:5 To respect the person of the wicked is not good, [Nor] to turn aside the righteous in judgment.

Proverbs 18:6 A fool`s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for stripes.

Proverbs 18:7 A fool`s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "respect", "person", "wicked", "good", "turn", "aside", "righteous", and "judgment". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "respect" and "person", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "The words of a man s mouth..." into verse 6's "A fool s lips enter into contention...", so "respect" and "person" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "respect" and "person" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.