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 proper for a fool.
2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.
As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless 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 donkey, and a rod for the fool’s back.
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 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 the feet, and drinketh violence.
7 The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
The legs of the lame are not equal: 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 he that bindeth a stone in a sling, 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 parable in the mouth of fools.
10 The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
11 As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to 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 slothful man 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 slothful upon his bed.
15 The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth 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 meddleth 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 mad man 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,
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle 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 wounds, 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.
Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
He that hateth disguiseth with his lips, and 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 kindly, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.
Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be revealed before the whole congregation.
27 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.
Whoever diggeth a pit shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it will 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 afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
