Proverbs 26
26
1Honor is no more associated with fools
than snow with summer or rain with harvest.
2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
3Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,
and a fool with a rod to his back!
4Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or you will become as foolish as they are.
5Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or they will become wise in their own estimation.
6Trusting a fool to convey a message
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!
7A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
8Honoring a fool
is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
9A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.
10An employer who hires a fool or a bystander
is like an archer who shoots at random.
11As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.
12There is more hope for fools
than for people who think they are wise.
13The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road!
Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
14As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,
so the lazy person turns over in bed.
15Lazy people take food in their hand
but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
16Lazy people consider themselves smarter
than seven wise counselors.
17Interfering in someone else’s argument
is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
18Just as damaging
as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
19is someone who lies to a friend
and then says, “I was only joking.”
20Fire goes out without wood,
and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
21A quarrelsome person starts fights
as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
22Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
23Smooth#26:23 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Burning. words may hide a wicked heart,
just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.
24People may cover their hatred with pleasant words,
but they’re deceiving you.
25They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them.
Their hearts are full of many evils.#26:25 Hebrew seven evils.
26While their hatred may be concealed by trickery,
their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.
27If you set a trap for others,
you will get caught in it yourself.
If you roll a boulder down on others,
it will crush you instead.
28A lying tongue hates its victims,
and flattering words cause ruin.
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Proverbs 26: NLT
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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Proverbs 26
26
1Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2Like a fluttering sparrow,
like a darting swallow,
so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.
3A whip is for the horse,
a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools!
4Don’t answer a fool according to his folly,
lest you also be like him.
5Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
7Like the legs of the lame that hang loose,
so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8As one who binds a stone in a sling,
so is he who gives honor to a fool.
9Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard,
so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10As an archer who wounds all,
so is he who hires a fool
or he who hires those who pass by.
11As a dog that returns to his vomit,
so is a fool who repeats his folly.
12Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion roams the streets!”
14As the door turns on its hinges,
so does the sluggard on his bed.
15The sluggard buries his hand in the dish.
He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who answer with discretion.
17Like one who grabs a dog’s ears
is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
19is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”
20For lack of wood a fire goes out.
Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
21As coals are to hot embers,
and wood to fire,
so is a contentious man to kindling strife.
22The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels,
they go down into the innermost parts.
23Like silver dross on an earthen vessel
are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
24A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,
but he harbors evil in his heart.
25When his speech is charming, don’t believe him,
for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26His malice may be concealed by deception,
but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it.
Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28A lying tongue hates those it hurts;
and a flattering mouth works ruin.
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