Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.
As dew in harvest, and as rain in summer, 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 birds and sparrows fly, so a curse shall not come upon any one without a cause.
3 A whip is for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, And a rod for the back of fools.
As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so [is] a rod for a simple nation.
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 you become like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he is wise in his own eyes.
Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem 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 that sends a message by a foolish messenger procures for himself a reproach from his own ways.
7 The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
[As well] take away the motion of the legs, as transgression from 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.
He that binds up a stone in a sling, is like one that gives glory to a fool.
9 A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard, and servitude in the hand of fools.
10 The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
All the flesh of fools endures much hardship; for their fury is brought to nothing.
11 As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin. [There is a shame that brings sin: and there is a shame [that is] glory and grace.]
12 You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
I have seen a man who seemed to himself to be wise; but a fool had more hope than he.
13 The slothful has said, “A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.”
A sluggard when sent on a journey says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and [there are] murderers in the streets.
14 The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
As a door turns on the hinge, so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.
16 Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.
17 Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.
As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.
18 As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
As those who need correction put forth [fair] words to men, and he that first falls in with the proposal will be overthrown;
19 So has a man deceived his neighbor, And has said, “Am I not playing?”
so are all that lay wait for their own friends, and when they are discovered, say, I did it in jest.
20 Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
With much wood fire increases; but where there is not a double-minded man, strife ceases.
21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
A hearth for coals, and wood for fire; and railing man for the tumult of 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 cunning knaves are soft; but they strike [even] to the inmost parts of the bowels.
23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
Silver dishonestly given is to be considered as a potsherd: smooth lips cover a grievous heart.
24 A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
A weeping enemy promises all things with his lips, but in his heart he contrives deceit.
25 When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
Though [your] enemy entreat you with a loud voice, consent not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.
He that hides enmity frames deceit: but being easily discerned, exposes his own sins in the public assemblies.
27 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.
He that digs a pit for his neighbor shall fall into it: and he that rolls a stone, rolls it upon himself.
28 A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works an overthrow!
A lying tongue hates the truth; and an unguarded mouth causes tumults.
