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 or rain in harvest, so a fool does not deserve honor.
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.
As the sparrow flitters and the swallow darts when they fly, so an undeserved curse does not alight.
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 is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey and a rod is for the back 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 will become like him.
5 Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
Answer a fool and join in on his folly, so he will not become wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
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 the legs of a paralytic which hang down is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
Like tying a stone in a sling is giving 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 goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
Like an archer who wounds all those around him is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
As a dog returns to his own vomit, so is a fool who 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 someone 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 lazy person says, “There is a lion on the road! There is a lion between the open places!”
14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
As the door turns on its hinges, so is the lazy person upon 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 lazy person puts his hand into the dish and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.
16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who respond with good judgment.
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 takes hold of the ears of a dog, is a passerby who becomes angry at a dispute that is not his own.
18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
Like a madman who shoots burning 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.”
is the one who deceives his neighbor and says, “Was I not telling a joke?”
20 When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
For lack of wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no gossiper quarreling ceases.
21 Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire, so is a quarrelsome person 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 delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
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 the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel so are burning lips and an evil heart.
24 An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips and he lays up deceit within himself.
25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
He will speak graciously, but do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
Though his hatred is covered with 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.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.
28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
A lying tongue hates the people it crushes and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.
