Proverbs 26:13–22
13 lThe sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 mThe sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is jwiser in his own eyes
nthan seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws ofirebrands, arrows, and death
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I am only joking!”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no pwhisperer, qquarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is ra quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 sThe words of pa whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — The New International Version (NIV)
13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
18 Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way;
A lion is in the streets.
14 As the door turneth upon his hinges,
So doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom;
It grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit
Than seven men that can render a reason.
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him,
Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour,
And saith, Am not I in sport?
20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out:
So where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire;
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — New Living Translation (NLT)
13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road!
Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,
so the lazy person turns over in bed.
15 Lazy people take food in their hand
but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter
than seven wise counselors.
17 Interfering in someone else’s argument
is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
18 Just as damaging
as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
19 is someone who lies to a friend
and then says, “I was only joking.”
20 Fire goes out without wood,
and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
21 A quarrelsome person starts fights
as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
22 Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion is in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy man on his bed.
15 The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, “I was only joking!”
20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
21 As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,
And they go down into the inmost body.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — New Century Version (NCV)
13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the road!
There’s a lion in the streets!”
14 Like a door turning back and forth on its hinges,
the lazy person turns over and over in bed.
15 Lazy people may put their hands in the dish,
but they are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
16 The lazy person thinks he is wiser
than seven people who give sensible answers.
17 Interfering in someone else’s quarrel as you pass by
is like grabbing a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman shooting
deadly, burning arrows
19 is the one who tricks a neighbor
and then says, “I was just joking.”
20 Without wood, a fire will go out,
and without gossip, quarreling will stop.
21 Just as charcoal and wood keep a fire going,
a quarrelsome person keeps an argument going.
22 The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food;
people like to gobble them up.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — American Standard Version (ASV)
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way;
A lion is in the streets.
14 As the door turneth upon its hinges,
So doth the sluggard upon his bed.
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish;
It wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit
Than seven men that can render a reason.
17 He that passeth by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him,
Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a madman who casteth firebrands,
Arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor,
And saith, Am not I in sport?
20 For lack of wood the fire goeth out;
And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
21 As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to inflame strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
13 The sluggard saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!
14 As the door turneth upon its hinges, so the sluggard upon his bed.
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men that answer discreetly.
17 He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, 19 so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?
20 Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth. 21 As coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife. 22 The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
13 A 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.
15 A lazy person puts his fork in his food.
He wears himself out as he brings it back to his mouth.
16 A 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.
18 Like a madman who shoots flaming arrows, arrows, and death,
19 so is the person who tricks his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without 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.
22 The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily,
and they go down into a person’s innermost being.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion in the road—
a lion in the public square!”
14 A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.
15 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he is too weary to bring it to his mouth.
16 In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser
than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,
19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.
21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a lazy person in bed.
15 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish,
and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.
16 The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem
than seven who can answer discreetly.
17 Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears
is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.
18 Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,
19 so is one who deceives a neighbor
and says, “I am only joking!”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
13 A lazy person says “A lion is in the road!
A lion among the streets!”
14 The door turns on its hinge,
and a lazy person on his bed.
15 A lazy person buries his hands in the dish;
he is too tired to return it to his mouth.
16 A lazy person is wiser in his eyes
than seven who answer discreetly.
17 Grabbing onto the ears of a dog
passing by is one who meddles in a quarrel that is not his own.
18 Like a maniac who shoots
firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 so is a man who deceives his neighbor,
but says “Am I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood, a fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer, quarreling will cease.
21 As charcoal is to hot embers and wood is to fire,
so a man of quarrels is to kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels,
and they go down to the inner parts of the body.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
13 A person who doesn’t want to work says, “There’s a lion in the road!
There’s an angry lion wandering in the streets!”
14 A person who doesn’t want to work turns over in bed
just like a door that swings back and forth.
15 A person who doesn’t want to work leaves his hand in the dish.
He acts as if he is too tired to bring it back up to his mouth.
16 A person who doesn’t want to work is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who give careful answers.
17 Don’t get mixed up in someone else’s fight as you are passing by.
That’s like picking a dog up by its ears.
18 Suppose a crazy person shoots
flaming arrows that can kill.
19 A man who lies to his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!” is just like that person.
20 If you don’t have wood, your fire goes out.
If you don’t talk about others, arguing dies down.
21 Coal glows. Wood burns.
And a man who argues stirs up fights.
22 The words of anyone who talks about others are like tasty bites of food.
They go deep down inside you.
Proverbs 26:13–22 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
A lion is in the open square!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the sluggard on his bed.
15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can give a discreet answer.
17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.
18 Like a madman who throws
Firebrands, arrows and death,
19 So is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, “Was I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.