Proverbs 26
1 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
quomodo nix aestate et pluvia in messe sic indecens est stulto gloria
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
sicut avis ad alia transvolans et passer quolibet vadens sic maledictum frustra prolatum in quempiam superveniet
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
flagellum equo et camus asino et virga dorso inprudentium
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
ne respondeas stulto iuxta stultitiam suam ne efficiaris ei similis
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
responde stulto iuxta stultitiam suam ne sibi sapiens esse videatur
6 Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
claudus pedibus et iniquitatem bibens qui mittit verba per nuntium stultum
7 Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
quomodo pulchras frustra habet claudus tibias sic indecens est in ore stultorum parabola
8 Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
sicut qui mittit lapidem in acervum Mercurii ita qui tribuit insipienti honorem
9 Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
quomodo si spina nascatur in manu temulenti sic parabola in ore stultorum
10 Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
iudicium determinat causas et qui inponit stulto silentium iras mitigat
11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
sicut canis qui revertitur ad vomitum suum sic inprudens qui iterat stultitiam suam
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
vidisti hominem sapientem sibi videri magis illo spem habebit stultus
13 The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
dicit piger leaena in via leo in itineribus
14 As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
sicut ostium vertitur in cardine suo ita piger in lectulo suo
15 The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
abscondit piger manus sub ascellas suas et laborat si ad os suum eas converterit
16 The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
sapientior sibi piger videtur septem viris loquentibus sententias
17 Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
sicut qui adprehendit auribus canem sic qui transit et inpatiens commiscetur rixae alterius
18 Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
sicut noxius est qui mittit lanceas et sagittas et mortem
19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
sic vir qui fraudulenter nocet amico suo et cum fuerit deprehensus dicit ludens feci
20 Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
cum defecerint ligna extinguetur ignis et susurrone subtracto iurgia conquiescunt
21 Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
sicut carbones ad prunam et ligna ad ignem sic homo iracundus suscitat rixas
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
verba susurronis quasi simplicia et ipsa perveniunt ad intima ventris
23 Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
quomodo si argento sordido ornare velis vas fictile sic labia tumentia cum pessimo corde sociata
24 A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
labiis suis intellegitur inimicus cum in corde tractaverit dolos
25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
quando submiserit vocem suam ne credideris ei quoniam septem nequitiae sunt in corde illius
26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
qui operit odium fraudulenter revelabitur malitia eius in concilio
27 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
qui fodit foveam incidet in eam et qui volvit lapidem revertetur ad eum
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
lingua fallax non amat veritatem et os lubricum operatur ruinas
