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.
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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
1 Like snow in the summer and like rain at the harvest,
so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2Like the sparrow is to fluttering and like the swallow is to flying,
so an undeserved curse does not go forth.
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.
4Do not answer a fool according to his folly
lest you become like him—even you.
5Answer a fool according to his folly,
or else he will be wise in his own eyes.
6Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,
so is he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.
7Like legs that hang limp from a lame person,
so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8Like binding a stone in a sling,
so is giving honor to a fool.
9Like a thorn that goes up in the hand of a drunkard,
so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10Like an archer who wounds everyone,
so is he who hires a fool or he who hires passersby.
11Like a dog returning to his vomit
is a fool reverting to his folly.
12Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13A lazy person says “A lion is in the road!
A lion among the streets!”
14The door turns on its hinge,
and a lazy person on his bed.
15A lazy person buries his hands in the dish;
he is too tired to return it to his mouth.
16A lazy person is wiser in his eyes
than seven who answer discreetly.
17Grabbing onto the ears of a dog
passing by is one who meddles in a quarrel that is not his own.
18Like a maniac who shoots
firebrands, arrows, and death,
19so is a man who deceives his neighbor,
but says “Am I not joking?”
20For lack of wood, a fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer, quarreling will cease.
21As charcoal is to hot embers and wood is to fire,
so a man of quarrels is to kindling strife.
22The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels,
and they go down to the inner parts of the body.
23Like impure silver#Literally “silver of impurities” which overlays an earthen vessel,
so are smooth lips and an evil heart#Or “mind”.
24On his lips, an enemy will pretend,
but inside#Literally “in his midst” he will harbor deceit.
25When he makes his voice gracious, do not believe him,
for seven abominations are in his heart.
26Though hatred is covered with guile,
its evil will be exposed in the assembly.
27He who digs a pit, in it he will fall,
and he who rolls a stone, on him it will come back.
28A tongue of deceit hates its victim,
and a flattering mouth makes ruin.
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