Proverbs 26

¹As snow in somer, and reyn in heruest; so glorie is vnsemeli to a fool.

²For whi as a brid fliynge ouer to hiy thingis, and a sparowe goynge in to vncerteyn; so cursing brouyt forth with out resonable cause schal come aboue in to sum man.

³Beting to an hors, and a bernacle to an asse; and a yerde in the bak of vnprudent men.

⁴Answere thou not to a fool bi his foli, lest thou be maad lijk hym.

⁵Answere thou a fool bi his fooli, lest he seme to him silf to be wijs.

⁶An haltinge man in feet, and drinkinge wickidnesse, he that sendith wordis by a fonned messanger.

⁷As an haltinge man hath faire leggis in veyn; so a parable is vnsemeli in the mouth of foolis.

⁸As he that casteth a stoon in to an heep of mercurie; so he that yyueth onour to an vnwijs man.

⁹As if a thorn growith in the hond of a drunkun man; so a parable in the mouth of foolis.

¹⁰Doom determyneth causis; and he that settith silence to a fool, swagith iris.

¹¹As a dogge that turneth ayen to his spuyng; so is an vnprudent man, that rehersith his fooli.

¹²Thou hast seyn a man seme wijs to hym silf; an vnkunnyng man schal haue hope more than he.

¹³A slow man seith, A lioun is in the weie, a liounnesse is in the foot pathis.

¹⁴As a dore is turned in his hengis; so a slow man in his bed.

¹⁵A slow man hidith hise hondis vndur his armpit; and he trauelith, if he turneth tho to his mouth.

¹⁶A slow man semeth wysere to hym silf, than seuene men spekynge sentensis.

¹⁷As he that takith a dogge bi the eeris; so he that passith, and is vnpacient, and is meddlid with the chiding of anothir man.

¹⁸As he is gilti, that sendith speris and arowis in to deth;

¹⁹so a man that anoieth gilefuli his frend, and whanne he is takun, he schal seie, Y dide pleiynge.

²⁰Whanne trees failen, the fier schal be quenchid; and whanne a priuy bacbitere is withdrawun, stryues resten.

²¹As deed coolis at quic coolis, and trees at the fier; so a wrathful man reisith chidyngis.

²²The wordis of a pryuei bacbitere ben as symple; and tho comen til to the ynneste thingis of the herte.

²³As if thou wolt ourne a vessel of erthe with foul siluer; so ben bolnynge lippis felouschipid with `the werste herte.

²⁴An enemy is vndirstondun bi hise lippis, whanne he tretith giles in the herte.

²⁵Whanne he `makith low his vois, bileue thou not to hym; for seuene wickidnessis ben in his herte.

²⁶The malice of hym that hilith hatrede gilefuli, schal be schewid in a counsel.

²⁷He that delueth a diche, schal falle in to it; and if a man walewith a stoon, it schal turne ayen to hym.

²⁸A fals tunge loueth not treuth; and a slidir mouth worchith fallyngis.

Proverbs 26

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

²As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.

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

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

⁶He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.

⁷The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

⁸As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

⁹As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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