Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and rain in harvest, so glory is not seemly for a fool.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.
2 As a bird flying to other places, and a sparrow going here or there: so a curse uttered without cause shall come upon a man.
As a sparrow in wandering, as a swallow in flying, so, a causeless curse, shall not alight.
3 A whip for a horse, and a snaffle for an ass, and a rod for the back of fools.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of dullards.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be made like him.
Do not answer a dullard, according to his folly, lest, even thou thyself, become like him;
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
6 He that sendeth words by a foolish messenger, is lame of feet and drinketh iniquity.
One who cutteth off feet, one who drinketh down wrong, is he who sendeth a message by the hand of a dullard.
7 As a lame man hath fair legs in vain: so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.
Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.
8 As he that casteth a stone into the heap of Mercury: so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
Like tying a stone to a sling, so, is he that giveth honour, to a dullard.
9 As if a thorn should grow in the hand of a drunkard: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
A brier cometh into the hand of a drunken-man, a proverb into the mouth of dullards.
10 Judgment determineth causes: and he that putteth a fool to silence, appeaseth anger.
[As] an archer who woundeth every thing, [so] one who hireth a dullard, and a drunkard crossing the sea.
11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly.
As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.
12 Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him.
Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eye, —more hope of a dullard, than of him!
13 The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lioness in the roads.
Saith the sluggard, A roaring lion in the road! A tearing lion in the midst of the broadways.
14 As the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.
15 The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and it grieveth him to turn it to his mouth.
The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences.
Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.
17 As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man’s quarrel.
As he who layeth hold of the ears of a dog, is a passer-by, who giveth vent to his wrath over a quarrel, not his!
18 As he is guilty that shooteth arrows, and lances unto death:
As a madman throwing firebrands, arrows and death,
19 So is the man that hurteth his friend deceitfully: and when he is taken, saith: I did it in jest.
So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?
20 When the wood faileth, the fire shall go out: and when the talebearer is taken away, contentions shall cease.
Without wood a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up strife.
Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, but they reach to the innermost parts of the belly.
the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
23 Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthen vessel adorned with silver dross.
Dross silver overlaid upon earthenware, so are burning lips, with a mischievous heart:
24 An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit.
With his lips, the hater dissembleth, but, within himself, he layeth up deceit:
25 When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart.
Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:
26 He that covereth hatred deceitfully, his malice shall be laid open in the public assembly.
Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.
27 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him.
He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, shall fall, and, he that rolleth a stone, upon himself, shall it return.
28 A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin.
A false tongue, hateth them who are crushed by it, and, a flattering mouth, worketh occasion of stumbling.
