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26 It shouldn’t snow in summer or rain at harvest.
    Neither should a foolish person ever be honored.

Curses will not harm someone who is innocent.
    They are like sparrows or swallows that fly around and never land.

A whip is used to guide a horse, and a harness is used for a donkey.
    In the same way, a paddle is used on a foolish person to guide him.

Don’t give a foolish person a foolish answer.
    If you do, you will be just like him.

But answer a foolish person as he should be answered.
    If you don’t, he will think he is really wise.

Don’t send a message by a foolish person.
    That would be like cutting off your feet or drinking poison.

A wise saying spoken by a fool does no good.
    It is like the legs of a crippled person.

Giving honor to a foolish person does no good.
    It is like tying a stone in a slingshot.

A wise saying spoken by a fool
    is like a thorn stuck in the hand of a drunk.

10 Someone might employ a foolish person or anyone just passing by.
    That employer is like an archer who shoots at anything he sees.

11 A dog eats what it throws up.
    And a foolish person repeats his foolishness.

12 Some people think they are wise.
    There is more hope for a foolish person than for them.

13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the road.
    There’s a lion in the streets!”

14 The lazy person is like a door that turns back and forth on its hinges.
    He stays in bed and turns over and over.

15 The lazy person may put his hand in the dish.
    But he’s too tired to lift the food to his mouth.

16 The lazy person thinks he is wiser
    than seven people who give sensible answers.

17 To grab a dog by the ears is asking for trouble.
    So is interfering in someone else’s quarrel if you’re just passing by.

18-19 A person shouldn’t trick his neighbor
    and then say, “I was just joking!”
That is like a madman shooting
    deadly, burning arrows.

20 Without wood, a fire will go out.
    And without gossip, quarreling will stop.

21 Charcoal and wood keep a fire going.
    In the same way, a quarrelsome person keeps an argument going.

22 The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food.
    People take them all in.

23 Kind words from a wicked mind
    are like a shiny coating on a clay pot.

24 A person who hates you may fool you with his words.
    But in his mind he is planning evil.
25 His words are kind, but don’t believe him.
    His mind is full of evil thoughts.
26 He hides his hate with lies.
    But his evil will be plain to everyone.

27 Whoever digs a deep trap for others will fall into it himself.
    Whoever tries to roll a boulder over others will be crushed by it.

28 A liar hates the people he hurts.
    And false praise can ruin others.

26 Like snow in summer or rain(A) in harvest,
    honor is not fitting for a fool.(B)
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse does not come to rest.(C)
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(D)
    and a rod for the backs of fools!(E)
Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
    or you yourself will be just like him.(F)
Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or he will be wise in his own eyes.(G)
Sending a message by the hands of a fool(H)
    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.(I)
Like tying a stone in a sling
    is the giving of honor to a fool.(J)
Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(K)
10 Like an archer who wounds at random
    is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,(L)
    so fools repeat their folly.(M)
12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?(N)
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.(O)

13 A sluggard says,(P) “There’s a lion in the road,
    a fierce lion roaming the streets!”(Q)
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed.(R)
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.(S)
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
    than seven people who answer discreetly.

17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
    is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

18 Like a maniac shooting
    flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
    and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood a fire goes out;
    without a gossip a quarrel dies down.(T)
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.(U)
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.(V)

23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,(W)
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.(X)
25 Though their speech is charming,(Y) do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.(Z)
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit(AA) will fall into it;(AB)
    if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.(AC)
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth(AD) works ruin.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth