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 halter for the donkey,
and a rod for the backs of fools! |
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you will be like him yourself. |
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes. |
6 Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence
is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. |
7 Like a lame man's legs that hang limp
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. |
10 Like an archer who wounds at random
is he who hires a fool or any passer-by. |
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his folly. |
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him. |
13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!" |
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed. |
15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. |
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who answer discreetly. |
17 Like one who seizes a dog by the ears
is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own. |
18 Like a madman shooting
firebrands or deadly arrows |
19 is a man who deceives his neighbor
and says, "I was only joking!" |
20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip a quarrel dies down. |
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. |
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to a man's inmost parts. |
23 Like a coating of glaze1 26:23 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text of silver dross over earthenware
are fervent lips with an evil heart. |
24 A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,
but in his heart he harbors deceit. |
25 Though his speech is charming, do not believe him,
for seven abominations fill his heart. |
26 His malice may be concealed by deception,
but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. |
27 If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it;
if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him. |
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth works ruin. |
