Proverbs 26

1 As dew in harvest, and as rain in summer, so honor is not [seemly] for a fool.

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

2 As birds and sparrows fly, so a curse shall not come upon any one without a cause.

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

3 As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so [is] a rod for a simple nation.

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

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him.

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

5 Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.

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

6 He that sends a message by a foolish messenger procures for himself a reproach from his own ways.

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

7 [As well] take away the motion of the legs, as transgression from the mouth of fools.

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

8 He that binds up a stone in a sling, is like one that gives glory to a fool.

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

9 Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard, and servitude in the hand of fools.

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.

10 All the flesh of fools endures much hardship; for their fury is brought to nothing.

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

11 As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin. [There is a shame that brings sin: and there is a shame [that is] glory and grace.]

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.

12 I have seen a man who seemed to himself to be wise; but a fool had more hope than he.

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

13 A sluggard when sent on a journey says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and [there are] murderers in the streets.

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

14 As a door turns on the hinge, so does a sluggard on his bed.

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

15 A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.

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

16 A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.

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

17 As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.

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.

18 As those who need correction put forth [fair] words to men, and he that first falls in with the proposal will be overthrown;

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

19 so are all that lay wait for their own friends, and when they are discovered, say, I did it in jest.

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

20 With much wood fire increases; but where there is not a double-minded man, strife ceases.

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

21 A hearth for coals, and wood for fire; and railing man for the tumult of strife.

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

22 The words of cunning knaves are soft; but they strike [even] to the inmost parts of the bowels.

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.

23 Silver dishonestly given is to be considered as a potsherd: smooth lips cover a grievous heart.

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

24 A weeping enemy promises all things with his lips, but in his heart he contrives deceit.

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

25 Though [your] enemy entreat you with a loud voice, consent not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

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

26 He that hides enmity frames deceit: but being easily discerned, exposes his own sins in the public assemblies.

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

27 He that digs a pit for his neighbor shall fall into it: and he that rolls a stone, rolls it upon himself.

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.

28 A lying tongue hates the truth; and an unguarded mouth causes tumults.

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