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 somer, and reyn in heruest; so glorie is vnsemeli to 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).
For whi as a brid fliynge ouer to hiy thingis, and a sparowe goynge in to vncerteyn; so cursing brouyt forth with out resonable cause schal come aboue in to sum man.
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].
Beting to an hors, and a bernacle to an asse; and a yerde in the bak of vnprudent men.
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.
Answere thou not to a fool bi his foli, lest thou be maad lijk hym.
5 If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
Answere thou a fool bi his fooli, lest he seme to him silf to be wijs.
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.
An haltinge man in feet, and drinkinge wickidnesse, he that sendith wordis by a fonned messanger.
7 A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
As an haltinge man hath faire leggis in veyn; so a parable is vnsemeli in the mouth of foolis.
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 he that casteth a stoon in to an heep of mercurie; so he that yyueth onour to an vnwijs man.
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].
As if a thorn growith in the hond of a drunkun man; so a parable in the mouth of foolis.
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].
Doom determyneth causis; and he that settith silence to a fool, swagith iris.
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 dogge that turneth ayen to his spuyng; so is an vnprudent man, that rehersith his fooli.
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.
Thou hast seyn a man seme wijs to hym silf; an vnkunnyng man schal haue hope more than he.
13 Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
A slow man seith, A lioun is in the weie, a liounnesse is in the foot pathis.
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].
As a dore is turned in his hengis; so a slow man in 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.
A slow man hidith hise hondis vndur his armpit; and he trauelith, if he turneth tho to his mouth.
16 Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
A slow man semeth wysere to hym silf, than seuene men spekynge sentensis.
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.
As he that takith a dogge bi the eeris; so he that passith, and is vnpacient, and is meddlid with the chiding of anothir man.
18 Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
As he is gilti, that sendith speris and arowis in to deth;
19 are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
so a man that anoieth gilefuli his frend, and whanne he is takun, he schal seie, Y dide pleiynge.
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.
Whanne trees failen, the fier schal be quenchid; and whanne a priuy bacbitere is withdrawun, stryues resten.
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.
As deed coolis at quic coolis, and trees at the fier; so a wrathful man reisith chidyngis.
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 wordis of a pryuei bacbitere ben as symple; and tho comen til to the ynneste thingis of the herte.
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.
As if thou wolt ourne a vessel of erthe with foul siluer; so ben bolnynge lippis felouschipid with `the werste herte.
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].
An enemy is vndirstondun bi hise lippis, whanne he tretith giles in the herte.
25 When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
Whanne he `makith low his vois, bileue thou not to hym; for seuene wickidnessis ben in his herte.
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].
The malice of hym that hilith hatrede gilefuli, schal be schewid in a counsel.
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].
He that delueth a diche, schal falle in to it; and if a man walewith a stoon, it schal turne ayen to hym.
28 Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
A fals tunge loueth not treuth; and a slidir mouth worchith fallyngis.
