Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
2 As a sparrow in wandering, as a swallow in flying, so, a causeless curse, shall not alight.
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of dullards.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Do not answer a dullard, according to his folly, lest, even thou thyself, become like him;
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
5 Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
6 One who cutteth off feet, one who drinketh down wrong, is he who sendeth a message by the hand of a dullard.
Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
7 Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Like tying a stone to a sling, so, is he that giveth honour, to a dullard.
Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 A brier cometh into the hand of a drunken-man, a proverb into the mouth of dullards.
Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 [As] an archer who woundeth every thing, [so] one who hireth a dullard, and a drunkard crossing the sea.
Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
11 As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
12 Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eye, —more hope of a dullard, than of him!
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 Saith the sluggard, A roaring lion in the road! A tearing lion in the midst of the broadways.
The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
14 The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.
As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.
The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
17 As he who layeth hold of the ears of a dog, is a passer-by, who giveth vent to his wrath over a quarrel, not his!
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18 As a madman throwing firebrands, arrows and death,
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
19 So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?
so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.
Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
21 Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
23 Dross silver overlaid upon earthenware, so are burning lips, with a mischievous heart:
Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 With his lips, the hater dissembleth, but, within himself, he layeth up deceit:
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
25 Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
26 Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.
Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, shall fall, and, he that rolleth a stone, upon himself, shall it return.
He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28 A false tongue, hateth them who are crushed by it, and, a flattering mouth, worketh occasion of stumbling.
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
