King James Version

Proverbs 20:18

Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

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Hebrew

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מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹתmachashavotcunningמַחֲשָׁבָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “cunning”, the ordinary formH4284a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice)cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought.בְּעֵצָ֣הbeetsahin adviceעֵצָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in advice”, the ordinary formH6098advice; by implication, plan; also prudenceadvice, advisement, counsel(l-(or)), purpose.תִכּ֑וֹןtikonbe fittedכּוּןverb, niphal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “be fitted”, an unfinished actionH3559properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous)certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth…וּ֝בְתַחְבֻּל֗וֹתuvetachbulotand in good adviceתַּחְבֻּלָהconjunction, preposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “and in good advice”, the ordinary formH8458(only in plural) properly, steerage (as a management of ropes), i.e. (figuratively) guidance or (by implication) a plangood advice, (wise) counsels.עֲשֵׂ֣הasehdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “do”, a commandH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…מִלְחָמָֽהmilchamahbattleמִלְחָמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “battle”, the ordinary formH4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Every purpose is established by counsel; and with good advice carry on war.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Every purpose is established by counsel; And by wise guidance make thou war.

Young’s Literal Translation

Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.

World English Bible

Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!

Darby Translation

Plans are established by counsel; and with good advice make war.

Douay-Rheims

Designs are strengthened by counsels: and wars are to be managed by governments.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)