Proverbs 26
26
1Like snow in the summer or rain at harvest,
so honor isn’t appropriate for a fool.
2Like a darting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
so an undeserved curse never arrives.
3A whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.
4Don’t answer fools according to their folly,
or you will become like them yourself.
5Answer fools according to their folly,
or they will deem themselves wise.
6Sending messages with a fool
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking down violence.
7As legs dangle from a disabled person,
so does a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8Like tying a stone in a sling,
so is giving respect to a fool.
9Like a thorny bush in the hand of a drunk,
so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10Like an archer who wounds someone randomly,
so is one who hires a fool or a passerby.
11Like a dog that returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats foolish mistakes.
12Do you see people who consider themselves wise?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.
13A lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the path!
A lion in the plazas!”
14As a door turns on its hinge,
so do lazy people in their beds.
15Lazy people bury their hand into the bowl,
too tired to return it to their mouth.
16Lazy people think they are wiser
than seven people who answer sensibly.
17Like yanking the ears of a dog,
so is one who passes by and gets involved in another person’s fight.
18Like a crazy person shooting deadly flaming arrows
19are those who deceive their neighbor and say, “Hey, I was only joking!”
20Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossips, conflict calms down.
21Like adding charcoal to embers or wood to fire,
quarrelsome people kindle strife.
22The words of gossips are like choice snacks;
they go down to the inmost parts.
23Smooth#26.23 LXX; Heb uncertain lips and an evil heart
are like silver coating on clay.
24Hateful people mislead with their lips,
keeping their deception within.
25Though they speak graciously, don’t believe them,
for seven horrible things are in their heart.
26They may cover their hatred with trickery,
but their evil will be revealed in public.
27Those who dig a pit will fall in it;
those who roll a stone will have it turn back on them.
28A lying tongue hates those it crushes;
a flattering mouth causes destruction.
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Proverbs 26
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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