Proverbs 26
1 In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour [is] not comely for 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.
As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.
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 a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him — even thou.
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 be wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things 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.
Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable 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.
As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honour 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.
A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
Great [is] the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
As a dog hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating 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.
Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
13 The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.'
14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful 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 slothful hath hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
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.
Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.
18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
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 hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, 'Am not I playing?'
20 When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,
21 Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
22 The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
23 In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [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.
By his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,
25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
When his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
Hatred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And the roller of a stone, to him it turneth.
28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!
