Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour [is] not comely for a fool.
As the snowe in the sommer, and as the raine in the haruest are not meete, so is honour vnseemely for a foole.
2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.
As the sparowe by flying, and the swallow by flying escape, so the curse that is causeles, shall not come.
3 A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
Vnto the horse belongeth a whip, to the asse a bridle, and a rod to the fooles backe.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him — even thou.
Answer not a foole according to his foolishnes, least thou also be like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Answere a foole according to his foolishnes, least he be wise in his owne conceite.
6 He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a foole, is as he that cutteth off the feete, and drinketh iniquitie.
7 Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.
As they that lift vp the legs of the lame, so is a parable in a fooles mouth.
8 As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honour to a fool.
As the closing vp of a precious stone in an heape of stones, so is he that giueth glory to a foole.
9 A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.
As a thorne standing vp in the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fooles.
10 Great [is] the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
The excellent that formed all things, both rewardeth the foole and rewardeth the transgressers.
11 As a dog hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
As a dog turneth againe to his owne vomit, so a foole turneth to his foolishnes.
12 Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceite? more hope is of a foole then of him.
13 The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.'
The slouthfull man sayth, A lyon is in the way: a lyon is in the streetes.
14 The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
As the doore turneth vpon his hinges, so doeth the slouthfull man vpon his bed.
15 The slothful hath hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
The slouthfull hideth his hand in his bosome, and it grieueth him to put it againe to his mouth.
16 Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
The sluggard is wiser in his owne conceite, then seuen men that can render a reason.
17 Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.
He that passeth by and medleth with the strife that belongeth not vnto him, is as one that taketh a dog by the eares.
18 As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
As he that faineth himselfe mad, casteth fire brands, arrowes, and mortall things,
19 So hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, 'Am not I playing?'
So dealeth the deceitfull man with his friend and sayth, Am not I in sport?
20 Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,
Without wood the fire is quenched, and without a talebearer strife ceaseth.
21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
As ye cole maketh burning coles, and wood a fire, so the contentious man is apt to kindle strife.
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 wordes of a tale bearer are as flatterings, and they goe downe into the bowels of the belly.
23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
As siluer drosse ouerlayde vpon a potsheard, so are burning lips, and an euill heart.
24 By his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,
He that hateth, will counterfaite with his lips, but in his heart he layeth vp deceite.
25 When his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
Though he speake fauourably, beleeue him not: for there are seuen abominations in his heart.
26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.
Hatred may be couered by deceite: but the malice thereof shall be discouered in the congregation.
27 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And the roller of a stone, to him it turneth.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall therein, and he that rolleth a stone, it shall returne vnto him.
28 A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!
A false tongue hateth the afflicted, and a flattering mouth causeth ruine.
