Proverbs 26:1–9

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.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

or he will be wise in his own eyes.

6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool

is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.

7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8 Like tying a stone in a sling

is the giving of honor to a fool.

9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

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.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and drinks 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 one who gives honor to a fool.

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

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

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.

5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,

or they will become wise in their own estimation.

6 Trusting a fool to convey a message

is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!

7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is as useless as a paralyzed leg.

8 Honoring a fool

is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.

9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.

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.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6 He who sends a message by the hand of a fool

Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

7 Like the legs of the lame that hang limp

Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling

Is he who gives honor to a fool.

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

Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

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.

5 Answer fools when they speak foolishly,

or they will think they are really wise.

6 Sending a message by a foolish person

is like cutting off your feet or drinking poison.

7 A wise saying spoken by a fool

is as useless as the legs of a crippled person.

8 Giving honor to a foolish person

is like tying a stone in a slingshot.

9 A wise saying spoken by a fool

is like a thorn stuck in the hand of a drunk.

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.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

Lest he be wise in his own conceit.

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

Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage.

7 The legs of the lame hang loose;

So is a parable in the mouth of fools.

8 As one that bindeth a stone in a sling,

So is he that giveth honor to a fool.

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

So is a parable in the mouth of fools.

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. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh damage. 7 The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 8 As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. 9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

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. 

5 Answer a fool with his own stupidity, 

or he will think he is wise. 

6 Whoever 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. 

8 Like 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. 

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.

5 Answer a fool according to his foolishness

or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.

6 The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand

cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is like lame legs that hang limp.

8 Giving honor to a fool

is like binding a stone in a sling.

9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is like a stick with thorns,

brandished by the hand of a drunkard.

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.

5 Answer fools according to their folly,

lest they be wise in their own eyes.

6 It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,

to send a message by a fool.

7 The legs of a lame person hang limp;

so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8 It is like binding a stone in a sling

to give honor to a fool.

9 Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

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.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

or else he will be wise in his own eyes.

6 Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,

so is he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.

7 Like legs that hang limp from a lame person,

so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Like binding a stone in a sling,

so is giving honor to a fool.

9 Like a thorn that goes up in the hand of a drunkard,

so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

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.

5 Answer a foolish person in keeping with his foolish acts.

If you do, he won’t be wise in his own eyes.

6 Sending a message in the hand of a foolish person

is like cutting off your feet or drinking something harmful.

7 A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person

is like disabled legs that are useless.

8 Giving honor to a foolish person

is like tying a stone in a slingshot.

9 A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person

is like a thorn in the hand of someone who is drunk.

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.

5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves,

That he not be wise in his own eyes.

6 He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence

Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.

7 Like the legs which are useless to the lame,

So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling,

So is he who gives honor to a fool.

9 Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard,

So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.