Proverbs 26
Legacy Standard Bible
26 Like snow in summer and like (A)rain in harvest,
So glory is not (B)fitting for a fool.
2 Like a (C)sparrow in its [a]flitting, like a swallow in flying,
So a (D)curse without cause does not come to pass.
3 A (E)whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a (F)rod for the back of fools.
4 (G)Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you yourself also be like him.
5 (H)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be (I)wise in his own eyes.
6 He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends words by the hand of a fool.
7 Like the legs which hang limp on the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like [b]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives glory to a fool.
9 Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 [c]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
11 Like (J)a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who (K)repeats [d]his folly.
12 Do you see a man (L)wise in his own eyes?
(M)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The (N)sluggard says, “There is a fierce lion in the road!
A lion is [e]among the streets!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the (O)sluggard on his bed.
15 The (P)sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is too weary to return it to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is (Q)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can respond with a discreet answer.
17 Like one who seizes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and becomes passionate about (R)strife not belonging to him.
18 Like a madman who shoots
(S)Firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So is the man who (T)deceives his neighbor,
And says, “(U)Am I not joking?”
20 With no wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no (V)whisperer, (W)strife quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a (X)contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The (Y)words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the stomach.
23 Like an earthen (Z)vessel overlaid with silver (AA)dross
Are fiery lips and an evil heart.
24 He who (AB)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he sets up (AC)deceit within himself.
25 When he (AD)makes his voice gracious, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred (AE)covers itself with guile,
His evil will be (AF)revealed in the assembly.
27 He who (AG)digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will turn back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates [f]those it crushes,
And a (AH)flattering mouth works ruin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:2 Lit wandering
- Proverbs 26:8 Lit the binding of
- Proverbs 26:10 Or A master workman produces all things, But he who hires a fool is like one who hires those who pass by
- Proverbs 26:11 Lit with his
- Proverbs 26:13 Lit within
- Proverbs 26:28 Lit its crushed ones
Proverbs 26
New American Standard Bible
Similitudes and Instructions
26 Like snow in summer and like (A)rain in harvest,
So honor is not (B)fitting for a fool.
2 Like a (C)sparrow in its [a]flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
So a (D)curse without cause does not come to rest.
3 A (E)whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a (F)rod for the back of fools.
4 (G)Do not answer a fool [b]according to his foolishness,
Or you will also be like him.
5 (H)Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves,
So that he will not be (I)wise in his own eyes.
6 One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Chops off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 Like [c]useless legs to one who cannot walk,
So is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
8 Like [d]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is one who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn that [e]sticks in the hand of a heavy drinker,
So is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
10 [f]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is one who hires a fool or hires those who pass by.
11 Like (J)a dog that returns to its vomit,
So is a fool who (K)repeats [g]his foolishness.
12 Do you see a person (L)wise in his own eyes?
(M)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 [h]A (N)lazy one says, “There is a lion on the road!
A lion is [i]in the public square!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does a (O)lazy one on his bed.
15 A (P)lazy one buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.
16 A lazy one is (Q)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven people who can [j]give a discreet answer.
17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears,
So is one who passes by and [k]meddles with (R)strife not belonging to him.
18 Like a maniac who shoots
(S)Flaming arrows, arrows, and death,
19 So is a person who (T)deceives his neighbor,
And says, “(U)Was I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no (V)gossiper, (W)quarreling quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a (X)contentious person to kindle strife.
22 The (Y)words of a gossiper are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [l]innermost parts of the body.
23 Like an earthenware (Z)vessel overlaid with silver [m](AA)impurities
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 One who (AB)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he harbors (AC)deceit in his [n]heart.
25 When [o]he (AD)speaks graciously, do not believe him,
Because there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred (AE)covers itself with deception,
His wickedness will be (AF)revealed in the assembly.
27 One who (AG)digs a pit will fall into it,
And one who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates [p]those it crushes,
And a (AH)flattering mouth works ruin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:2 Lit wandering
- Proverbs 26:4 I.e., taking his question or argument seriously
- Proverbs 26:7 Lit legs that dangle from one paralyzed
- Proverbs 26:8 Lit the binding of
- Proverbs 26:9 Lit goes up
- Proverbs 26:10 Or A master workman produces all things, But one who hires a fool is like one who hires those who pass by
- Proverbs 26:11 Lit with his
- Proverbs 26:13 Lit an idle, and so throughout the ch
- Proverbs 26:13 Lit within
- Proverbs 26:16 Lit return discreetly
- Proverbs 26:17 Lit infuriates himself
- Proverbs 26:22 Lit chambers of the belly
- Proverbs 26:23 Lit dross
- Proverbs 26:24 Lit inward part
- Proverbs 26:25 Lit his voice is gracious
- Proverbs 26:28 Lit its crushed ones
Mishle 26
Orthodox Jewish Bible
26 As sheleg (snow) in kayitz (summer), and as matar (rain) at katzir (harvest), so kavod is not fitting for a kesil (fool).
2 As the tzippor in its fluttering, as the swallow in its flying, so the kelelah (curse) without cause shall not alight.
3 A shot (whip) for the sus, a bridle for the chamor, and a shevet for the back of kesilim.
4 Answer not a kesil (fool) according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a kesil (fool) according to his folly, lest he be chacham in his own eyes.
6 He that sendeth a message by the yad of a kesil (fool) cutteth off the raglayim, and drinketh chamas.
7 The legs of the pisei’ach (lame man) hang limp; so is a mashal in the peh (mouth) of kesilim.
8 As he that bindeth an even (stone) in a sling, so is he that giveth kavod to a kesil (fool).
9 As a thornbush goeth up into the yad of a shikkor, so is a mashal in the peh (mouth) of kesilim.
10 Like an archer wounding all, so is he that hireth the kesil (fool), or hireth the passerby.
11 As a kelev returneth to his vomit, so a kesil (fool) returneth to his folly.
12 Seest thou an ish chacham in his own eyes? There is more tikvah (hope) for a kesil (fool) than for him.
13 The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) saith, There is a lion in the derech; an ari is in the rechovot.
14 As the delet (door) turneth upon its hinges, so doth the atzel (sluggard, lazy one) upon his mittah (bed).
15 The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) hideth his yad in his dish; it’s too tiring to bring it back to his peh (mouth) again.
16 The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) is chacham in his own eyes, more than seven that give an excellent answer.
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth in a quarrel that doth not belong to him, is like one that taketh a kelev by the oznayim.
18 As a mad man who shooteth firebrands, khitzim (arrows), and mavet,
19 So is the ish that deceiveth his re’a, and saith, Am I not just having a laugh?
20 Where no wood is, there the eish goeth out; so where there is no nirgan (gossip, slanderer, talebearer), the strife dieth down.
21 As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to eish; so is a contentious ish to kindle strife.
22 The devarim of a nirgan (gossip, slanderer, talebearer) are like tasty morsels, and they go down into the innermost chambers of the beten.
23 Fervent sfatayim (lips) and a lev rah are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
24 He that hateth disguises it with his sfatayim (lips), and within harboreth mirmah (deceit);
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not; for there are sheva to’avot in his lev.
26 Whose hatred is covered by guile, yet his wickedness shall be exposed before the whole kahal.
27 He who diggeth a shachat (pit) shall fall therein, and he that rolleth an even (stone), it will roll back upon him.
28 A lashon sheker hateth those that are crushed by it; and a flattering peh (mouth) worketh ruin.
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International