Proverbs 26

1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,

so honor is not fitting for a fool.

2Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,

an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the back of fools.

4Do not answer fools according to their folly,

or you will be a fool yourself.

5Answer fools according to their folly,

or they will be wise in their own eyes.

6It is like cutting off one's foot and drinking down violence,

to send a message by a fool.

7The legs of a disabled person hang limp;

so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8It is like binding a stone in a sling

to give honor to a fool.

9Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

10Like an archer who wounds everybody

is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.#26.10 Meaning of Heb uncertain

11Like a dog that returns to its vomit

is a fool who reverts to his folly.

12Do you see persons wise in their own eyes?

There is more hope for fools than for them.

13The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the road!

There is a lion in the streets!”

14As a door turns on its hinges,

so does a lazy person in bed.

15The lazy person buries a hand in the dish,

and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.

16The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem

than seven who can answer discreetly.

17Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears

is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.

18Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,

19so is one who deceives a neighbor

and says, “I am only joking!”

20For lack of wood the fire goes out,

and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

21As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

22The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23Like the glaze#26.23 Cn: Heb silver of dross covering an earthen vessel

are smooth#26.23 Gk: Heb burning lips with an evil heart.

24An enemy dissembles in speaking

while harboring deceit within;

25when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it,

for there are seven abominations concealed within;

26though hatred is covered with guile,

the enemy's wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,

and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.

28A lying tongue hates its victims,

and a flattering mouth works ruin.

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Proverbs 26: NRSV

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Proverbs 26

1As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour [is] not comely for a fool.

2As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.

3A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.

4Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him — even thou.

5Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.

7Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

8As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honour to a fool.

9A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Learn More About Young's Literal Translation 1898