26 Like snow in summer and like rain at gathering time, so honor is not right for a fool.

² Like a sparrow in its traveling, like a swallow in its flying, so bad words said against someone without reason do not come to rest.

³ A whip is for the horse, leather ropes are for the donkey, and a stick is for the back of fools.

⁴ Do not answer a fool by his foolish ways, or you will be like him.

⁵ Answer a fool in the way he has earned by his foolish acts, so he will not be wise in his own eyes.

⁶ He who sends a letter by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and brings trouble upon himself.

⁷ A wise saying in the mouth of fools is like the legs on a man who cannot walk.

⁸ He who gives honor to a fool is like one who ties a stone in a sling.

⁹ A wise saying in the mouth of fools is like a thorn that goes into the hand of a man who drinks too much.

¹⁰ He who hires a fool or hires those who pass by is like a man who uses a bow to hurt everyone.

¹¹ A fool who does his foolish act again is like a dog that turns back to what he has thrown up.

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

¹³ The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the way! There is a lion in the streets!”

¹⁴ As a door turns, so does the lazy man on his bed.

¹⁵ The lazy man buries his hand in the dish. It makes him tired to bring it to his mouth again.

¹⁶ The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can give a wise answer.

¹⁷ He who passes by and has a part in someone else’s fight is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

¹⁸ Like a crazy man who throws pieces of burning wood and arrows of death, ¹⁹ so is the man who fools his neighbor with a lie, and says, “I was only joking.”

²⁰ When there is no wood, the fire goes out. Where there is no one telling secret stories about people, arguing stops.

²¹ An arguing man makes fights worse. He is like coals to burning wood and wood to a fire.

²² The words of one who tells secret things about people are like good-tasting bites of food. They go down into the inside parts of the body.

²³ Burning lips and a sinful heart are like a pot covered with silver waste.

²⁴ He who hates covers it up with his lips, but stores up false ways in his heart. ²⁵ When he speaks with kindness, do not believe him, for there are seven things that are hated in his heart. ²⁶ Even if his hate is covered with false ways, his sin will be found out in front of the great meeting.

²⁷ He who digs a deep hole will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it return upon him.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a mouth that speaks false words destroys.