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 honour beseemeth not a fool.
2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.
As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.
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 ass, 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 unto 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 eyes.
6 He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh damage.
7 The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
The legs of the lame 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 a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour 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 goeth 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.
A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.
11 As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
As a dog turneth back to its vomit, [so] a fool repeateth his folly.
12 You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of 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 saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!
14 The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
[As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so 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 burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven [men] that 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.
He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So has a man deceived his neighbor, And has said, “Am I not playing?”
so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?
20 Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.
21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
[As] coals for hot coals, and wood for 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 talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are [as] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
24 A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him:
25 When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
when his voice is gracious, 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 is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.
27 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth 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 hateth those that are injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
