Proverbs 26

1 Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish.

Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

2 As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.

Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn't come to rest.

3 A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.

A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

4 Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.

5 Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6 He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.

One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.

7 The legs of one who has no power of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the foolish.

Like the legs of the lame that hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

8 Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a stone fixed in a cord.

As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.

9 Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.

Like a thornbush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

10 Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink.

As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.

11 Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.

As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.

12 Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13 The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road. A fierce lion roams the streets."

14 A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed.

As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.

15 The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

16 The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.

17 He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.

Like one who grabs a dog's ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.

18 As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death,

Like a madman who shoots firebrands, arrows, and death,

19 So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport?

is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "Am I not joking?"

20 Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.

Without wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, contention ceases.

21 Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.

22 The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.

The words of a gossip are as tasty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.

23 Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.

Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.

24 With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;

A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.

25 When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils:

When his speech is charming, do not believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people.

His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27 He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.

Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

28 A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling.

A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.