Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not seemly for a fool.
2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.
As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, so the curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 A whip is for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, And a rod for the back of fools.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you are like to him—even you.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like to him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he is wise in his own eyes.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off the feet, and drinks injury.
7 The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
The legs of a lame man hang loose. So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honor to a fool.
As he who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.
9 A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
As a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool, and he who hires those who pass by.
11 As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
As a dog who returns to his vomit, is a fool who repeats his folly.
12 You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
See thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope for a fool than of him.
13 The slothful has said, “A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.”
The sluggard says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
The door turns upon its hinges, so does the sluggard upon his bed.
15 The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. It wearies him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men who can render a reason.
17 Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.
He who passes by, and meddles with strife not his, is like he who takes a dog by the ears.
18 As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
As a madman who casts firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So has a man deceived his neighbor, And has said, “Am I not playing?”
so is the man who deceives his neighbor, and says, Am I not in sport?
20 Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention ceases.
21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.
22 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts.
23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
Fervent lips and a wicked heart are an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
24 A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
He who hates masquerades with his lips, but he lays up deceit within him.
25 When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
When he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.
Though his hatred cover itself with guile, his wickedness shall be openly shown before the assembly.
27 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.
He who digs a pit shall fall in it, and he who rolls a stone, it shall return upon him.
28 A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works an overthrow!
A lying tongue hates those whom it has wounded, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
