Proverbs 26
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.
9 As 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.
14 As 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.
21 As 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.
26 Whose 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.
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Proverbs 26: KJV
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Rights in the Authorized (King James) Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Published by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.
Learn More About King James VersionProverbs 26
26
1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,#1Sm 12:17
honor is inappropriate for a fool.#Pr 17:7; 19:10
2Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow,#Pr 27:8
an undeserved curse goes nowhere.#Nm 23:8; Dt 23:5; 2Sm 16:12
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,#Ps 32:9
and a rod for the backs of fools.#Pr 10:13; 19:29
4Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness#Pr 23:9; 29:9; Mt 7:6; Lk 23:9
or you’ll be like him yourself.
5Answer a fool according to his foolishness#Mt 16:1–4; 21:24–27
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.#Pr 26:12; 28:11; Rm 12:16
6The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand#Pr 10:26; 25:13
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.#Pr 13:2
7A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp.
8Giving honor to a fool
is like binding a stone in a sling.
9A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by#26:9 Lit thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard.
10The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone indiscriminately.
11As a dog returns to its vomit,
so also a fool repeats his foolishness.#2Pt 2:22
12Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes?#Pr 3:7; 26:5; Rm 12:16
There is more hope for a fool than for him.#Pr 29:20
13The slacker says, “There’s a lion in the road —
a lion in the public square!” #Pr 22:13
14A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.#Pr 6:9–10; 19:15
15The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!#Pr 12:27; 19:24
16In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser#Pr 26:5,12; 28:11
than seven who can answer sensibly.
17A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
18Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,#Is 50:11
19so is the person who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.#Pr 16:28; 22:10
21As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.#Pr 15:18
22A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.#26:22 Lit to the chambers of the belly#Pr 18:8
23Smooth#26:23 LXX; MT reads Burning lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.#Mt 23:27; Lk 11:39
24A hateful person disguises himself with his speech
and harbors deceit within.
25When he speaks graciously, don’t believe him,
for there are seven detestable things in his heart.#Ps 28:3
26Though his hatred is concealed by deception,
his evil will be revealed in the assembly.
27The one who digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever rolls a stone —
it will come back on him.#Est 7:10; Jb 4:8; Pr 28:10; Dn 6:24; Mt 26:52
28A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
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