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

bSo honour is not cseemly for a fool.

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

So ethe curse causeless shall not come.

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

And ga rod for the fool’s back.

4  hAnswer not a fool according to his folly,

Lest thou also be like unto him.

5  iAnswer 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 the feet, and kdrinketh ||damage.

7  The 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.

9  As 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.

11  As pa dog returneth to his vomit,

So qa fool †returneth to his folly.

12  rSeest thou a man wise in his own conceit?

sThere is more hope of a fool than of him.

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

A lion is in the streets.

14  As the door turneth upon his hinges,

So doth the slothful upon his bed.

15  wThe slothful hideth his hand in his bosom;

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

16  The sluggard is wiser xin his own conceit

Than yseven men that can zrender a zzreason.

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

Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

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

19  So 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.

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

So is ea contentious man to kindle strife.

22  fThe words of a talebearer are as wounds,

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

23  gBurning lips and a wicked heart

Are like a potsherd hcovered with silver idross.

24  He that hateth ||kdissembleth with his lips,

And layeth up deceit within him;

25  lWhen he †speaketh fair, believe him not:

For there are yseven abominations in his heart.

26  Whose ||hatred is covered by deceit,

His wickedness shall be mshewed nbefore the whole congregation.

27  oWhoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein:

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

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

And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.