Proverbs 26
1 In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
2 Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
5 Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
7 In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.
Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
12 Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
15 The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.
The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
17 Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
19 so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”
so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
21 Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
23 In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
