Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
Just [like] [SIM] [it is not appropriate for] snow [to fall] in summer time, or rain [to fall] at harvest time, it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.
2 As the wandering sparrow, as the flying swallow, so the curse that is causeless shall come home.
Like [SIM] birds that fly by [and do not alight/land on anything], if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you (do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong).
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.
It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey [to force them to go where we want them to go], and similarly [SIM] [it is often necessary to strike] foolish people with a stick [to cause them to do what is right].
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
If a foolish person asks a foolish question, [do not answer him], because [if you answer his question], you are just as foolish as he is.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh damage.
Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone [is himself doing something as foolish as] cutting off his own feet or drinking poison.
7 The legs hang limp from the lame; so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
8 As a small stone in a heap of stones, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
9 As a thorn that cometh into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, [he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that] (OR, [he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand]); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, [they do not help anyone who hears them].
10 A master performeth all things; but he that stoppeth a fool is as one that stoppeth a flood.
A man who shoots arrows [to try] to wound everybody who is near [is foolish]; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person [who passes by is very foolish].
11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is a fool that repeateth his folly.
A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.
13 The sluggard saith: 'There is a lion in the way; yea, a lion is in the streets.'
Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
14 The door is turning upon its hinges, and the sluggard is still upon his bed.
A door [continually] swings back and forth on its hinges [and does not go anywhere]; similarly [SIM], lazy people [just continually turn over] in their beds [and never do anything].
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; it wearieth him to bring it back to his mouth.
Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to get some food] but do not [even] lift the food up to their mouths.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men that give wise answer.
Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife not his own, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
Anyone who (meddles/involves himself) in a quarrel that does not concern him is [as foolish as] [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.
18 As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death;
Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith: 'Am not I in sport?'
are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
20 Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
If there is no [more] firewood [to put on the fire], the fire will go out; similarly [SIM], if there are no people who (gossip/tell people things that are not true), quarreling will end.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
[Putting] charcoal on burning coals or [putting] wood on a fire [causes the fire to keep burning]; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
22 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
People [enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like] [SIM] they enjoy tasty food; they [enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like] they enjoy swallowing tasty food.
23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him.
Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning [to harm that person].
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not; for there are seven abominations in his heart.
When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
26 Though his hatred be concealed with deceit, his wickedness shall be revealed before the congregation.
They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate [that person], but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things [that they have done].
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
Those who dig a deep pit [for other people to fall into] will fall into it themselves; rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down [to crush someone].
28 A lying tongue hateth those that are crushed by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
