Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.
2 As a sparrow in wandering, as a swallow in flying, so, a causeless curse, shall not alight.
As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of dullards.
A whip is for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, And a rod for the back 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, Lest you are like to him—even you.
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 is 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.
He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
7 Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.
The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
8 Like tying a stone to a sling, so, is he that giveth honour, to a dullard.
As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honor to a fool.
9 A brier cometh into the hand of a drunken-man, a proverb into the mouth of dullards.
A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
10 [As] an archer who woundeth every thing, [so] one who hireth a dullard, and a drunkard crossing the sea.
The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
11 As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.
As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
12 Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eye, —more hope of a dullard, than of him!
You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
13 Saith the sluggard, A roaring lion in the road! A tearing lion in the midst of the broadways.
The slothful has said, “A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.”
14 The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.
The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
16 Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.
Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
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!
Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.
18 As a madman throwing firebrands, arrows and death,
As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
19 So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?
So has a man deceived his neighbor, And has said, “Am I not playing?”
20 Without wood a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.
Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
21 Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.
Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
22 the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
23 Dross silver overlaid upon earthenware, so are burning lips, with a mischievous heart:
Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
24 With his lips, the hater dissembleth, but, within himself, he layeth up deceit:
A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
25 Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:
When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
26 Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.
Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.
27 He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, shall fall, and, he that rolleth a stone, upon himself, shall it return.
Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.
28 A false tongue, hateth them who are crushed by it, and, a flattering mouth, worketh occasion of stumbling.
A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works an overthrow!
