¹ Like snow in the summer or rain during the harvest,^[b]
    honor does not befit a fool.
² Like a fluttering sparrow or a swallow in flight,
    an undeserved curse will never reach home.
³ Use a whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey,
    and a stick for the back of fools.^{[c]
4     [d]}Do not reply to a fool in the terms of his folly
    or you yourself may become a fool like him.
⁵ Reply to a fool in the terms of his folly
    or he will consider himself wise.
⁶ Like cutting off one’s foot or submitting to violence
    is sending a message by a fool.
⁷ Like the legs of a lame man dangling helplessly
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
⁸ Like tying a stone into a sling
    is the giving of honor to a fool.
⁹ Like a thorn branch brandished by a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
¹⁰ Like an archer who wounds all who pass by
    is one who hires a fool or a drunkard.
¹¹ As a dog returns to its vomit,^[e]
    so a fool reverts to his folly.
¹² Do you know someone who regards himself as wise?^[f]
    There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³ The idler says, “There is a lion in the road,
    a lion in the middle of the street.”^[h]
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so does the idler on his bed.
¹⁵ One who is lazy will dip his hand into the dish,
    but he is too lazy to lift it to his mouth.^[i]
16 The idler considers himself to be more wise
    than seven men who can offer a sensible reply.

¹⁷ Like one who lifts up a stray dog by the ears
    is he who meddles in another person’s quarrel.
¹⁸ Like a madman shooting at random
    his deadly firebrands and arrows,
¹⁹ so is the one who deceives his neighbor
    and then says, “I was only joking.”
²⁰ When there is no wood, the fire goes out,
    and when there is no talebearer, quarreling ceases.
²¹ Like coal for burning embers and wood for fire,
    so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
²² The whispers of a gossiper are tasty morsels
    that corrode one’s inner being.
²³ Like glaze that is spread on earthenware
    are smooth lips and a spiteful heart.
²⁴ With his lips an enemy may speak fair words,
    but deep within he harbors treachery.
²⁵ When he speaks graciously, do not believe him,
    for seven abominations^[k] lurk in his heart.
²⁶ A man may cloak his hatred with guile,
    but his wickedness will be exposed later in the assembly.
²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,^[l]
    and the stone comes back on the one who rolls it.
²⁸ A lying tongue hates its victims,
    and a flattering mouth causes devastation.