Proverbs 26

New International Version

26 Like snow in summer or rain^(A) in harvest,
    honor is not fitting for a fool.^(B)
²Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse does not come to rest.^(C)
³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,^(D)
    and a rod for the backs of fools!^(E)
⁴Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
    or you yourself will be just like him.^(F)
⁵Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or he will be wise in his own eyes.^(G)
⁶Sending a message by the hands of a fool^(H)
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
⁷Like the useless legs of one who is lame
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.^(I)
⁸Like tying a stone in a sling
    is the giving of honor to a fool.^(J)
⁹Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.^(K)
¹⁰Like an archer who wounds at random
    is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
¹¹As a dog returns to its vomit,^(L)
    so fools repeat their folly.^(M)
¹²Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?^(N)
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.^(O)

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth

2 Corinthians 4

New International Version

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy^(A) we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.^(B) ²Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways;^(C) we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.^(D) On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience^(E) in the sight of God. ³And even if our gospel^(F) is veiled,^(G) it is veiled to those who are perishing.^(H) ⁴The god^(I) of this age^(J) has blinded^(K) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,^(L) who is the image of God.^(M) ⁵For what we preach is not ourselves,^(N) but Jesus Christ as Lord,^(O) and ourselves as your servants^(P) for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a]^(Q) made his light shine in our hearts^(R) to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.^(S)

⁷But we have this treasure in jars of clay^(T) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God^(U) and not from us. ⁸We are hard pressed on every side,^(V) but not crushed; perplexed,^(W) but not in despair; ⁹persecuted,^(X) but not abandoned;^(Y) struck down, but not destroyed.^(Z) ¹⁰We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,^(AA) so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.^(AB) ¹¹For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,^(AC) so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹²So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.^(AD)

¹³It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”^[b]^(AE) Since we have that same spirit of^[c] faith,^(AF) we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead^(AG) will also raise us with Jesus^(AH) and present us with you to himself.^(AI) ¹⁵All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving^(AJ) to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶Therefore we do not lose heart.^(AK) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly^(AL) we are being renewed^(AM) day by day. ¹⁷For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.^(AN) ¹⁸So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,^(AO) since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.