Proverbs 26
1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so a fool does not deserve honor.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.
2 As the sparrow flitters and the swallow darts when they fly, so an undeserved curse does not alight.
As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.
3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey and a rod is for the back of fools.
A whip is for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, And a rod for the back of fools.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will become like him.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you are like to him—even you.
5 Answer a fool and join in on his folly, so he will not become wise in his own eyes.
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he is wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
7 Like the legs of a paralytic which hang down is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
8 Like tying a stone in a sling is giving honor to a fool.
As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds all those around him is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.
The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
12 Do you see someone who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion on the road! There is a lion between the open places!”
The slothful has said, “A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.”
14 As the door turns on its hinges, so is the lazy person upon his bed.
The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
15 The lazy person puts his hand into the dish and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.
The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who respond with good judgment.
Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
17 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.
Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.
18 Like a madman who shoots burning arrows,
As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
19 is the one who deceives his neighbor and says, “Was I not telling a joke?”
So has a man deceived his neighbor, And has said, “Am I not playing?”
20 For lack of wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no gossiper quarreling ceases.
Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
21 As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
22 The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
23 Like the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel so are burning lips and an evil heart.
Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
24 One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips and he lays up deceit within himself.
A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
25 He will speak graciously, but do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
26 Though his hatred is covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.
Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.
28 A lying tongue hates the people it crushes and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.
A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works an overthrow!
