Proverbs 26

26As snow in summer, and ^aas rain in harvest,

^bSo honour is not ^cseemly for a fool.

²As the ^dbird by wandering, as the ^dswallow by flying,

So ^ethe curse causeless shall not come.

^3fA whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,

And ^ga rod for the fool’s back.

^4hAnswer not a fool according to his folly,

Lest thou also be like unto him.

⁵ⁱAnswer a fool according to his folly,

Lest he be wise in ^†his own conceit.

⁶He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool

Cutteth off the feet, and ^kdrinketh ^||damage.

⁷The legs of the lame ^†are not equal:

So is a ^lparable in the mouth of fools.

^8||As he that bindeth a stone in a sling,

^bSo is he that giveth honour to a fool.

⁹As ^ma thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,

So is a ^lparable in the mouth of fools.

^10||The great God that ⁿformed all things

Both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.

¹¹As ^pa dog returneth to his vomit,

So ^qa fool ^†returneth to his folly.

^12rSeest thou a man wise in his own conceit?

^sThere is more hope of a fool than of him.

^13tThe slothful man saith, There is ^ua lion in the way;

A lion is in the streets.

¹⁴As the door turneth upon his hinges,

So doth the slothful upon his bed.

^15wThe slothful hideth his hand in his bosom;

^||It grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

¹⁶The sluggard is wiser ^xin his own conceit

Than ^yseven men that can ^zrender a ^zzreason.

¹⁷He that passeth by, and ^||ameddleth with strife belonging not to him,

Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

¹⁸As a mad man who casteth ^†firebrands, arrows, and death,

¹⁹So 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, ^bthe strife ^†ceaseth.

²¹As ^ccoals are to ^dburning coals, and wood to fire;

So is ^ea contentious man to kindle strife.

^22fThe words of a talebearer are as wounds,

And they go down into the ^†innermost parts of the belly.

^23gBurning lips and a wicked heart

Are like a potsherd ^hcovered with silver ⁱdross.

²⁴He that hateth ^||kdissembleth with his lips,

And layeth up deceit within him;

^25lWhen he ^†speaketh fair, believe him not:

For there are ^yseven abominations in his heart.

²⁶Whose ^||hatred is covered by deceit,

His wickedness shall be ^mshewed ⁿbefore the whole congregation.

^27oWhoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein:

And he that rolleth a stone, it will ^preturn upon him.

²⁸A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it;

And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.