Proverbs 26:17-28
Holman Christian Standard Bible
17 A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,(A)
19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.(B)
21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.(C)
22 A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.[a](D)
23 Smooth[b] lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.(E)
24 A hateful person disguises himself with his speech
and harbors deceit within.
25 When he speaks graciously, don’t believe him,
for there are seven abominations in his heart.(F)
26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception,
his evil will be revealed in the assembly.
27 The one who digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever rolls a stone—
it will come back on him.(G)
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:22 Lit to the chambers of the belly
- Proverbs 26:23 LXX; MT reads Burning
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