Proverbs 26
1 Honoring someone stupid is as inappropriate as snow in the summer or rain during harvest.
As snow in somer, and reyn in heruest; so glorie is vnsemeli to a fool.
2 A curse that isn't deserved won't land on the person, like a fluttering sparrow or a flitting swallow.
For whi as a brid fliynge ouer to hiy thingis, and a sparowe goynge in to vncerteyn; so cursing brouyt forth with out resonable cause schal come aboue in to sum man.
3 Horses need a whip, donkeys need a bridle, and stupid people need a rod on their backs!
Beting to an hors, and a bernacle to an asse; and a yerde in the bak of vnprudent men.
4 Don't answer stupid people following their stupidity, or you'll become as bad as them.
Answere thou not to a fool bi his foli, lest thou be maad lijk hym.
5 Answer stupid people following their stupidity, otherwise they'll think they're wise.
Answere thou a fool bi his fooli, lest he seme to him silf to be wijs.
6 Trusting someone stupid to deliver a message is like cutting of your feet or drinking poison.
An haltinge man in feet, and drinkinge wickidnesse, he that sendith wordis by a fonned messanger.
7 A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as useless as a lame person's legs.
As an haltinge man hath faire leggis in veyn; so a parable is vnsemeli in the mouth of foolis.
8 Honoring someone stupid is as pointless as tying a stone into a sling.
As he that casteth a stoon in to an heep of mercurie; so he that yyueth onour to an vnwijs man.
9 A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as ridiculous as a thorn bush waved around by a drunk.
As if a thorn growith in the hond of a drunkun man; so a parable in the mouth of foolis.
10 Anyone who hires someone stupid or just a passer-by is like an archer wounding people by shooting arrows at random.
Doom determyneth causis; and he that settith silence to a fool, swagith iris.
11 Stupid people repeat their stupidity like a dog returning to its vomit.
As a dogge that turneth ayen to his spuyng; so is an vnprudent man, that rehersith his fooli.
12 Have you seen a man who is wise in his own eyes? There's more hope for stupid people than for him!
Thou hast seyn a man seme wijs to hym silf; an vnkunnyng man schal haue hope more than he.
13 Lazy people are the ones who say, “There's a lion on the road—a lion running around the streets!”
A slow man seith, A lioun is in the weie, a liounnesse is in the foot pathis.
14 A lazy person turns in bed like a door turns on its hinge.
As a dore is turned in his hengis; so a slow man in his bed.
15 Lazy people put their hands in a dish, but are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
A slow man hidith hise hondis vndur his armpit; and he trauelith, if he turneth tho to his mouth.
16 In their own eyes lazy people are wiser than many sensible advisors.
A slow man semeth wysere to hym silf, than seuene men spekynge sentensis.
17 Interfering in someone else's quarrel is like grabbing a stray dog by the ears.
As he that takith a dogge bi the eeris; so he that passith, and is vnpacient, and is meddlid with the chiding of anothir man.
18 You're like a crazy person firing off blazing arrows and killing people
As he is gilti, that sendith speris and arowis in to deth;
19 if you lie to your friend and then say, “I was only joking!”
so a man that anoieth gilefuli his frend, and whanne he is takun, he schal seie, Y dide pleiynge.
20 Without wood, the fire goes out; and without gossips, arguments stop.
Whanne trees failen, the fier schal be quenchid; and whanne a priuy bacbitere is withdrawun, stryues resten.
21 An argumentative person fires up quarrels like putting charcoal on hot embers or wood on a fire.
As deed coolis at quic coolis, and trees at the fier; so a wrathful man reisith chidyngis.
22 Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
The wordis of a pryuei bacbitere ben as symple; and tho comen til to the ynneste thingis of the herte.
23 Smooth talking with evil intent is like a shiny lead glaze on an earthenware pot.
As if thou wolt ourne a vessel of erthe with foul siluer; so ben bolnynge lippis felouschipid with `the werste herte.
24 People say nice things to you even though they hate you; deep down they're just lying to you.
An enemy is vndirstondun bi hise lippis, whanne he tretith giles in the herte.
25 When people talk nicely to you, don't believe them—their minds are full of hate for you.
Whanne he `makith low his vois, bileue thou not to hym; for seuene wickidnessis ben in his herte.
26 Even though their hatred may be hidden by cunning tricks, their evil will be revealed to everyone.
The malice of hym that hilith hatrede gilefuli, schal be schewid in a counsel.
27 Those who dig pits to trap others will fall in themselves, and those who start boulders rolling will be crushed themselves.
He that delueth a diche, schal falle in to it; and if a man walewith a stoon, it schal turne ayen to hym.
28 If you tell lies, you show you hate your victims; if you flatter people, you cause disaster.
A fals tunge loueth not treuth; and a slidir mouth worchith fallyngis.
