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 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 lighteth not.
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 conceit.
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 in 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 parable 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 heap of stones, 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 that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the month of fools.
10 The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
[As] an archer that woundeth all, so is he that hireth the fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
11 As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
As a dog that returneth to his vomit, [so is] a fool that repeateth his folly.
12 You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? 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 lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
[As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth 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.
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that 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 that passeth by, [and] 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 the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
20 Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
For lack of wood the fire goeth out: and where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
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 of the belly.
23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
Fervent lips and a wicked heart are [like] 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 he speaketh fair, 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 shewed before 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 whom it hath wounded; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
