Proverbs 26

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

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.

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

As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.

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

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

4 Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you are like to him—even you.

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

Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he is wise in his own eyes.

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

He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.

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

The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.

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

As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honor to a fool.

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

A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.

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

The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.

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

As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.

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

You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!

13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”

The slothful has said, “A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.”

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

The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.

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

The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.

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

Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.

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

Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.

18 Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,

As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,

19 is the man who deceives his neighbour and says, “Am I not joking?”

So has a man deceived his neighbor, And has said, “Am I not playing?”

20 For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.

Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,

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

Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.

22 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.

The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.

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

Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.

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

A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,

25 When his speech is charming, don’t believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.

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

Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.

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

Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.

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

A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works an overthrow!