Proverbs 26

¹In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.

²Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.

³A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.

⁴Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.

⁵Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.

⁶Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.

⁷In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.

⁸Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.

⁹In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.

¹⁰Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.

¹¹Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.

¹²Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.

¹³The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”

¹⁴Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.

¹⁵The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.

¹⁶The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.

¹⁷Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.

¹⁸Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,

¹⁹so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”

²⁰When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.

²¹Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.

²²The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.

²³In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.

²⁴An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.

²⁵When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.

²⁶Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.

²⁷Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.

²⁸A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.

Proverbs 26

¹As snow in summer, and rain in harvest, so glory is not seemly for a fool.

²As a bird flying to other places, and a sparrow going here or there: so a curse uttered without cause shall come upon a man.

³A whip for a horse, and a snaffle for an ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

⁴Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be made like him.

⁵Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.

⁶He that sendeth words by a foolish messenger, is lame of feet and drinketh iniquity.

⁷As a lame man hath fair legs in vain: so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.

⁸As he that casteth a stone into the heap of Mercury: so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

⁹As if a thorn should grow in the hand of a drunkard: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰Judgment determineth causes: and he that putteth a fool to silence, appeaseth anger.

¹¹As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly.

¹²Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him.

¹³The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lioness in the roads.

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

¹⁵The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and it grieveth him to turn it to his mouth.

¹⁶The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences.

¹⁷As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man's quarrel.

¹⁸As he is guilty that shooteth arrows, and lances unto death.

¹⁹So is the man that hurteth his friend deceitfully: and when he is taken, saith: I did it in jest.

²⁰When the wood faileth, the fire shall go out: and when the talebearer is taken away, contentions shall cease.

²¹As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up strife.

²²The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, but they reach to the innermost parts of the belly.

²³Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthern vessel adorned with silver dross.

²⁴An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit.

²⁵When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart.

²⁶He that covereth hatred deceitfully, his malice shall be laid open in the public assembly.

²⁷He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him.

²⁸A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin.