Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
Just [like] [SIM] [it is not appropriate for] snow [to fall] in summer time, or rain [to fall] at harvest time, it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.
2 As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, so the curse that is causeless lighteth not.
Like [SIM] birds that fly by [and do not alight/land on anything], if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you (do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong).
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.
It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey [to force them to go where we want them to go], and similarly [SIM] [it is often necessary to strike] foolish people with a stick [to cause them to do what is right].
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
If a foolish person asks a foolish question, [do not answer him], because [if you answer his question], you are just as foolish as he is.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh in damage.
Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone [is himself doing something as foolish as] cutting off his own feet or drinking poison.
7 The legs of the lame hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
8 As a bag of gems in a heap of stones, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
9 [As] a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the month of fools.
If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, [he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that] (OR, [he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand]); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, [they do not help anyone who hears them].
10 [As] an archer that woundeth all, so is he that hireth the fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
A man who shoots arrows [to try] to wound everybody who is near [is foolish]; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person [who passes by is very foolish].
11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit, [so is] a fool that repeateth his folly.
A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
14 [As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the sluggard upon his bed.
A door [continually] swings back and forth on its hinges [and does not go anywhere]; similarly [SIM], lazy people [just continually turn over] in their beds [and never do anything].
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to get some food] but do not [even] lift the food up to their mouths.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
17 He that passeth by, [and] vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
Anyone who (meddles/involves himself) in a quarrel that does not concern him is [as foolish as] [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.
18 As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death;
Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
20 For lack of wood the fire goeth out: and where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
If there is no [more] firewood [to put on the fire], the fire will go out; similarly [SIM], if there are no people who (gossip/tell people things that are not true), quarreling will end.
21 [As] coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to inflame strife.
[Putting] charcoal on burning coals or [putting] wood on a fire [causes the fire to keep burning]; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
22 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
People [enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like] [SIM] they enjoy tasty food; they [enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like] they enjoy swallowing tasty food.
23 Fervent lips and a wicked heart are [like] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him:
Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning [to harm that person].
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not; for there are seven abominations in his heart:
When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
26 Though [his] hatred cover itself with guile, his wickedness shall be openly shewed before the congregation.
They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate [that person], but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things [that they have done].
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
Those who dig a deep pit [for other people to fall into] will fall into it themselves; rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down [to crush someone].
28 A lying tongue hateth those whom it hath wounded; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
