Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour [is] not comely for a fool.
In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.
Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.
3 A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him — even thou.
Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
6 He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
7 Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.
In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.
8 As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honour to a fool.
Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
9 A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.
In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.
10 Great [is] the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
11 As a dog hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
12 Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.
13 The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.'
The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
14 The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
15 The slothful hath hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.
16 Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
17 Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.
Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.
18 As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
19 So hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, 'Am not I playing?'
so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”
20 Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,
When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
22 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
24 By his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,
An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
25 When his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.
Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
27 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And the roller of a stone, to him it turneth.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
28 A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!
A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
