Proverbs 26
26
All about Fools
1Like snow in summertime and rain at harvest time,
so honor is not right for a fool.
2Like a fluttering sparrow,
like a darting swallow,
so a hastily spoken curse does not come to rest.
3A whip is for the horse,
a bridle is for the donkey,
and a rod is for the backs of fools.
4Do not answer a fool with his own stupidity,
or you will be like him.
5Answer a fool with his own stupidity,
or he will think he is wise.
6Whoever uses a fool to send a message
cuts off his own feet and brings violence upon himself.
7 ⌞Like⌟ a lame person’s limp legs,
so is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
8Like tying a stone to a sling,
so is giving honor to a fool.
9 ⌞Like⌟ a thorn stuck in a drunk’s hand,
so is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
10 ⌞Like⌟ many people who destroy everything,
so is one who hires fools or drifters.
11As a dog goes back to its vomit,
⌞so⌟ a fool repeats his stupidity.
12Have you met a person who thinks he is wise?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13A lazy person says,
“There’s a ferocious lion out on the road!
There’s a lion loose in the streets!”
14 ⌞As⌟ a door turns on its hinges,
so the lazy person turns on his bed.
15A lazy person puts his fork in his food.
He wears himself out as he brings it back to his mouth.
16A lazy person thinks he is wiser than seven people who give a sensible answer.
17 ⌞Like⌟ grabbing a dog by the ears,
⌞so⌟ is a bystander who gets involved in someone else’s quarrel.
18Like a madman who shoots flaming arrows, arrows, and death,
19so is the person who tricks his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20Without wood a fire goes out,
and without gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 ⌞As⌟ charcoal fuels burning coals and wood fuels fire,
so a quarrelsome person fuels a dispute.
22The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily,
and they go down into a person’s innermost being.
23 ⌞Like⌟ a clay pot covered with cheap silver,
⌞so⌟ is smooth talk that covers up an evil heart.
24Whoever is filled with hate disguises it with his speech,
but inside he holds on to deceit.
25When he talks charmingly, do not trust him
because of the seven disgusting things in his heart.
26His hatred is deceitfully hidden,
but his wickedness will be revealed to the community.
27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it.
Whoever rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 26: GW
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 26
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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.