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 bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

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 ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.

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 you 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 that sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off the feet, and drinks damage.

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 the lame are not equal: 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 he that binds a stone in a sling, so is he that 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 goes up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouths of fools.

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

The great God that formed all things both rewards the fool, and rewards transgressors.

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 returns to his vomit, so a fool returns to 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 you a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of 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 slothful man 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.

As the door turns on his hinges, so does the slothful 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 slothful hides his hand in his bosom; it grieves 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 that 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 that passes by, and meddles with strife belonging not to him, is like one that takes a dog by the ears.

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

As a mad man 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 that deceives his neighbor, and says, Am not I in sport?

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

Where no wood is, there the fire goes out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceases.

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

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle 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 talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

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

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

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

He that hates dissembles with his lips, and 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 fair, 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.

Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation.

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 therein: and he that rolls a stone, it will return 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 that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth works ruin.