Proverbs 26

Like snow in summer or rain^v in harvest,

honor is not fitting for a fool.^w

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,

an undeserved curse does not come to rest.^x

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,^y

and a rod for the backs of fools!^z

Do not answer fools according to their folly,

or you yourself will be just like them.^a

Answer fools according to their folly,

or they will be wise in their own eyes.^b

To send a message by the hands of a fool^c

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

Like the useless legs of one who is lame

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.^d

Like tying a stone in a sling

is the giving of honor to a fool.^e

Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.^f

Like an archer who wounds at random

is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.

As a dog returns to its vomit,^g

so fools repeat their folly.^h

Do you see people who are wise in their own eyes?ⁱ

There is more hope for fools than for them.^j

A sluggard says,^k “There’s a lion in the road,

a fierce lion roaming the streets!”^l

As a door turns on its hinges,

so a sluggard turns on the bed.^m

Sluggards bury their hands in the dish

and are too lazy to bring them back to their mouths.ⁿ

Sluggards are wiser in their own eyes

than seven people who answer discreetly.

Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears

is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

Like a maniac shooting

flaming arrows of death

is one who deceives a neighbor

and says, “I was only joking!”

Without wood a fire goes out;

without a gossip a quarrel dies down.^o

As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.^p

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

they go down to the inmost parts.^q

Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware

are fervent lips with an evil heart.

Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,^r

but in their hearts they harbor deceit.^s

Though their speech is charming,^t do not believe them,

for seven abominations fill their hearts.^u

Their malice may be concealed by deception,

but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

If anyone digs a pit,^v they themselves will fall into it;^w

if anyone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.^x

A lying tongue hates those it hurts,

and a flattering mouth^y works ruin.