Proverbs 26
1 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.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.
2 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).
As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.
3 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].
A whip is for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, And a rod for the back of fools.
4 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.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you are like to him—even you.
5 If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he is wise in his own eyes.
6 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.
He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
7 A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
8 Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honor to a fool.
9 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].
A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
10 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].
The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
11 A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
12 [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.
You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
13 Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
The slothful has said, “A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.”
14 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].
The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
15 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.
The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
16 Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
17 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.
Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.
18 Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
19 are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
So has a man deceived his neighbor, And has said, “Am I not playing?”
20 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.
Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
21 [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.
Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
22 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.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
23 People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
24 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].
A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
25 When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
26 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].
Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.
27 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].
Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.
28 Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works an overthrow!
