Proverbs 26
1 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
As snow in somer, and reyn in heruest; so glorie is vnsemeli to a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
For whi as a brid fliynge ouer to hiy thingis, and a sparowe goynge in to vncerteyn; so cursing brouyt forth with out resonable cause schal come aboue in to sum man.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
Beting to an hors, and a bernacle to an asse; and a yerde in the bak of vnprudent men.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
Answere thou not to a fool bi his foli, lest thou be maad lijk hym.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
Answere thou a fool bi his fooli, lest he seme to him silf to be wijs.
6 Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
An haltinge man in feet, and drinkinge wickidnesse, he that sendith wordis by a fonned messanger.
7 Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
As an haltinge man hath faire leggis in veyn; so a parable is vnsemeli in the mouth of foolis.
8 Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
As he that casteth a stoon in to an heep of mercurie; so he that yyueth onour to an vnwijs man.
9 Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
As if a thorn growith in the hond of a drunkun man; so a parable in the mouth of foolis.
10 Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
Doom determyneth causis; and he that settith silence to a fool, swagith iris.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
As a dogge that turneth ayen to his spuyng; so is an vnprudent man, that rehersith his fooli.
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Thou hast seyn a man seme wijs to hym silf; an vnkunnyng man schal haue hope more than he.
13 The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
A slow man seith, A lioun is in the weie, a liounnesse is in the foot pathis.
14 As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
As a dore is turned in his hengis; so a slow man in his bed.
15 The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
A slow man hidith hise hondis vndur his armpit; and he trauelith, if he turneth tho to his mouth.
16 The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
A slow man semeth wysere to hym silf, than seuene men spekynge sentensis.
17 Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
As he that takith a dogge bi the eeris; so he that passith, and is vnpacient, and is meddlid with the chiding of anothir man.
18 Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
As he is gilti, that sendith speris and arowis in to deth;
19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
so a man that anoieth gilefuli his frend, and whanne he is takun, he schal seie, Y dide pleiynge.
20 Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
Whanne trees failen, the fier schal be quenchid; and whanne a priuy bacbitere is withdrawun, stryues resten.
21 Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
As deed coolis at quic coolis, and trees at the fier; so a wrathful man reisith chidyngis.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
The wordis of a pryuei bacbitere ben as symple; and tho comen til to the ynneste thingis of the herte.
23 Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
As if thou wolt ourne a vessel of erthe with foul siluer; so ben bolnynge lippis felouschipid with `the werste herte.
24 A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
An enemy is vndirstondun bi hise lippis, whanne he tretith giles in the herte.
25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
Whanne he `makith low his vois, bileue thou not to hym; for seuene wickidnessis ben in his herte.
26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
The malice of hym that hilith hatrede gilefuli, schal be schewid in a counsel.
27 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
He that delueth a diche, schal falle in to it; and if a man walewith a stoon, it schal turne ayen to hym.
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
A fals tunge loueth not treuth; and a slidir mouth worchith fallyngis.
