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26 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour [is] not comely for a fool.

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

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

Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him -- even thou.

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

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

Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

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

A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

10 Great [is] the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.

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

12 Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!

13 The slothful hath said, `A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.'

14 The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.

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

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

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

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

19 So hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, `Am not I playing?'

20 Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,

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

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

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

24 By his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,

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

26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.

27 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And the roller of a stone, to him it turneth.

28 A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!

26 Like snow in summer or rain(A) in harvest,
    honor is not fitting for a fool.(B)
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse does not come to rest.(C)
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(D)
    and a rod for the backs of fools!(E)
Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
    or you yourself will be just like him.(F)
Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or he will be wise in his own eyes.(G)
Sending a message by the hands of a fool(H)
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
Like the useless legs of one who is lame
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(I)
Like tying a stone in a sling
    is the giving of honor to a fool.(J)
Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(K)
10 Like an archer who wounds at random
    is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,(L)
    so fools repeat their folly.(M)
12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?(N)
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.(O)

13 A sluggard says,(P) “There’s a lion in the road,
    a fierce lion roaming the streets!”(Q)
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed.(R)
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.(S)
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
    than seven people who answer discreetly.

17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
    is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

18 Like a maniac shooting
    flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
    and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood a fire goes out;
    without a gossip a quarrel dies down.(T)
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.(U)
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.(V)

23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,(W)
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.(X)
25 Though their speech is charming,(Y) do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.(Z)
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit(AA) will fall into it;(AB)
    if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.(AC)
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth(AD) works ruin.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth

26 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

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

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.

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

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

He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.

The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouths of fools.

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

11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,

19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

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

24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;

25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

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

27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.