Proverbs 26:1–4

1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,

honor is not fitting for a fool.

2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,

an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

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

and a rod for the backs of fools!

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

or you yourself will be just like him.

1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,

so honor is not fitting for a fool.

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

a curse that is causeless does not alight.

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

and a rod for the back of fools.

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,

lest you be like him yourself.

1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,

So honour is not seemly for a fool.

2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying,

So the curse causeless shall not come.

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

And a rod for the fool’s back.

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,

Lest thou also be like unto him.

1 Honor is no more associated with fools

than snow with summer or rain with harvest.

2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,

an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.

3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,

and a fool with a rod to his back!

4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,

or you will become as foolish as they are.

1 As snow in summer and rain in harvest,

So honor is not fitting for a fool.

2 Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,

So a curse without cause shall not alight.

3 A whip for the horse,

A bridle for the donkey,

And a rod for the fool’s back.

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

Lest you also be like him.

1 It shouldn’t snow in summer or rain at harvest.

Neither should a foolish person ever be honored.

2 Curses will not harm someone who is innocent;

they are like sparrows or swallows that fly around and never land.

3 Whips are for horses, and harnesses are for donkeys,

so paddles are good for fools.

4 Don’t answer fools when they speak foolishly,

or you will be just like them.

1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,

So honor is not seemly for a fool.

2 As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying,

So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.

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

And a rod for the back of fools.

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,

Lest thou also be like unto him.

1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.

2 As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

1 Like snow in summertime and rain at harvest time, 

so honor is not right for a fool. 

2 Like a fluttering sparrow, 

like a darting swallow, 

so a hastily spoken curse does not come to rest. 

3 A whip is for the horse, 

a bridle is for the donkey, 

and a rod is for the backs of fools. 

4 Do not answer a fool with his own stupidity, 

or you will be like him. 

1 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,

honor is inappropriate for a fool.

2 Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow,

an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

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

and a rod for the backs of fools.

4 Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness

or you’ll be like him yourself.

1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,

so honor is not fitting for a fool.

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

an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

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

and a rod for the back of fools.

4 Do not answer fools according to their folly,

lest you be a fool yourself.

1 Like snow in the summer and like rain at the harvest,

so honor is not fitting for a fool.

2 Like the sparrow is to fluttering and like the swallow is to flying,

so an undeserved curse does not go forth.

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

and a rod for the back of fools.

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly

lest you become like him—even you.

1 It isn’t proper to honor a foolish person.

That’s like having snow in summer or rain at harvest time.

2 A curse given for no reason is like a wandering bird or a flying sparrow.

It doesn’t go anywhere.

3 A whip is for a horse. A harness is for a donkey.

And a beating is for the backs of foolish people.

4 Don’t answer a foolish person in keeping with his foolish acts.

If you do, you will be like him yourself.

1 Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest,

So honor is not fitting for a fool.

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

So a curse without cause does not alight.

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

And a rod for the back of fools.

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

Or you will also be like him.