Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
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 backs of fools!
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you are like to him—even you.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like 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 become wise in his own eyes.
6 He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
7 The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honor to a fool.
Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
11 As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
12 You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The slothful has said, “A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.”
The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
14 The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
15 The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
17 Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18 As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
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, “I was only joking!”
20 Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling 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 gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
25 When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.
Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in 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 will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works an overthrow!
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
