Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so a fool does not deserve honor.
2 As a sparrow in wandering, as a swallow in flying, so, a causeless curse, shall not alight.
As the sparrow flitters and the swallow darts when they fly, so an undeserved curse does not alight.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of dullards.
A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey and a rod is 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, or you will become like him.
5 Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
Answer a fool and join in on his folly, so he will not 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.
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.
Like the legs of a paralytic which hang down is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like tying a stone to a sling, so, is he that giveth honour, to a dullard.
Like tying a stone in a sling is giving 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 goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb 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.
Like an archer who wounds all those around him is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.
11 As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.
As a dog returns to his own vomit, so is a fool who 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 someone 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 lazy person says, “There is a lion on the road! There is a lion between the open places!”
14 The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.
As the door turns on its hinges, so is the lazy person upon his bed.
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
The lazy person puts his hand into the dish and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.
16 Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.
The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who respond with good judgment.
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 takes hold of the ears of a dog, is a passerby who becomes angry at a dispute that is not his own.
18 As a madman throwing firebrands, arrows and death,
Like a madman who shoots burning arrows,
19 So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?
is the one who deceives his neighbor and says, “Was I not telling a joke?”
20 Without wood a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.
For lack of wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no gossiper quarreling ceases.
21 Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.
As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire, so is a quarrelsome person 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 delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 Dross silver overlaid upon earthenware, so are burning lips, with a mischievous heart:
Like the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel so are burning lips and an evil heart.
24 With his lips, the hater dissembleth, but, within himself, he layeth up deceit:
One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips and he lays up deceit within himself.
25 Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:
He will speak graciously, but do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.
Though his hatred is covered with 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.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.
28 A false tongue, hateth them who are crushed by it, and, a flattering mouth, worketh occasion of stumbling.
A lying tongue hates the people it crushes and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.
