26 Like snow in summer or urain in harvest,

so vhonor is wnot fitting for a fool.

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

ya curse that is causeless does not alight.

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

and aa rod for the back of fools.

4  bAnswer not a fool according to his folly,

lest you be like him yourself.

5  cAnswer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be dwise in his own eyes.

6  Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and edrinks violence.

7  Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8  Like one who binds the stone in the sling

is fone who gives honor to a fool.

9  Like ga thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10  Like an archer who wounds everyone

is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.1

11  Like ha dog that returns to his vomit

is ia fool who repeats his folly.

12  Do you see a man who is jwise in his own eyes?

kThere is more hope for a fool than for him.

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.

23  tLike the uglaze2 covering an earthen vessel

are fervent lips with an evil heart.

24  Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips

and harbors deceit in his heart;

25  vwhen he speaks graciously, believe him not,

for there are wseven abominations in his heart;

26  though his hatred be covered with deception,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27  xWhoever digs a pit will fall into it,

and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

28  A lying tongue hates its victims,

and a flattering mouth works ruin.