Proverbs 26
1 Honoring someone stupid is as inappropriate as snow in the summer or rain during harvest.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour [is] not comely for a fool.
2 A curse that isn't deserved won't land on the person, like a fluttering sparrow or a flitting swallow.
As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.
3 Horses need a whip, donkeys need a bridle, and stupid people need a rod on their backs!
A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
4 Don't answer stupid people following their stupidity, or you'll become as bad as them.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him — even thou.
5 Answer stupid people following their stupidity, otherwise they'll think they're wise.
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 Trusting someone stupid to deliver a message is like cutting of your feet or drinking poison.
He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
7 A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as useless as a lame person's legs.
Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 Honoring someone stupid is as pointless as tying a stone into a sling.
As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honour to a fool.
9 A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as ridiculous as a thorn bush waved around by a drunk.
A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 Anyone who hires someone stupid or just a passer-by is like an archer wounding people by shooting arrows at random.
Great [is] the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
11 Stupid people repeat their stupidity like a dog returning to its vomit.
As a dog hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
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 seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
13 Lazy people are the ones who say, “There's a lion on the road—a lion running around the streets!”
The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.'
14 A lazy person turns in bed like a door turns on its hinge.
The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
15 Lazy people put their hands in a dish, but are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
The slothful hath hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
16 In their own eyes lazy people are wiser than many sensible advisors.
Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
17 Interfering in someone else's quarrel is like grabbing a stray dog by the ears.
Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.
18 You're like a crazy person firing off blazing arrows and killing people
As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
19 if you lie to your friend and then say, “I was only joking!”
So hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, 'Am not I playing?'
20 Without wood, the fire goes out; and without gossips, arguments stop.
Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,
21 An argumentative person fires up quarrels like putting charcoal on hot embers or wood on a fire.
Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
22 Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
23 Smooth talking with evil intent is like a shiny lead glaze on an earthenware pot.
Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
24 People say nice things to you even though they hate you; deep down they're just lying to you.
By his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,
25 When people talk nicely to you, don't believe them—their minds are full of hate for you.
When his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
26 Even though their hatred may be hidden by cunning tricks, their evil will be revealed to everyone.
Hatred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.
27 Those who dig pits to trap others will fall in themselves, and those who start boulders rolling will be crushed themselves.
Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And the roller of a stone, to him it turneth.
28 If you tell lies, you show you hate your victims; if you flatter people, you cause disaster.
A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!
