Proverbs 26

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

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not seemly 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.

As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, so the curse that is causeless does not alight.

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

A whip 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.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like to 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 conceit.

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

He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off the feet, and drinks injury.

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.

The legs of a lame man hang loose. So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

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

As he 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.

As a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb 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, and 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 who returns to his vomit, 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.

See thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope for a fool than of 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 way; a lion is in the streets.

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

The door turns upon its hinges, so does the sluggard upon 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. It wearies him to bring it again 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 conceit than seven men who can render a reason.

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.

He who passes by, and meddles with strife not his, is like he who takes a dog by the ears.

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

As a madman who casts 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?

so is the man who deceives his neighbor, and says, Am I not in sport?

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

For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, 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 inflame 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 whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts.

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

Fervent lips and a wicked heart are an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

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

He who hates masquerades with his lips, but he lays up deceit within him.

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

When he speaks graciously, believe him not, 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.

Though his hatred cover itself with guile, his wickedness shall be openly shown before 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.

He who digs a pit shall fall in it, and he who rolls a stone, it shall return upon 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 whom it has wounded, and a flattering mouth works ruin.