Add parallel Print Page Options

26 Come la neve d'estate e la pioggia alla mietitura,
così l'onore non conviene allo stolto.
Come il passero che svolazza, come la rondine che vola,
così una maledizione senza motivo non avverrà.
La frusta per il cavallo, la cavezza per l'asino
e il bastone per la schiena degli stolti.
Non rispondere allo stolto secondo la sua stoltezza
per non divenire anche tu simile a lui.
Rispondi allo stolto secondo la sua stoltezza
perché egli non si creda saggio.
Si taglia i piedi e beve amarezze
chi invia messaggi per mezzo di uno stolto.
Malferme sono le gambe dello zoppo,
così una massima sulla bocca degli stolti.
Come chi lega il sasso alla fionda,
così chi attribuisce onori a uno stolto.
Una spina penetrata nella mano d'un ubriaco,
tale è una massima sulla bocca degli stolti.
10 Arciere che ferisce tutti i passanti,
tale è chi assume uno stolto o un ubriaco.
11 Come il cane torna al suo vomito,
così lo stolto ripete le sue stoltezze.
12 Hai visto un uomo che si crede saggio?
E' meglio sperare in uno stolto che in lui.
13 Il pigro dice: «C'è una belva per la strada,
un leone si aggira per le piazze».
14 La porta gira sui cardini,
così il pigro sul suo letto.
15 Il pigro tuffa la mano nel piatto,
ma dura fatica a portarla alla bocca.
16 Il pigro si crede saggio
più di sette persone che rispondono con senno.
17 Prende un cane per le orecchie
chi si intromette in una lite che non lo riguarda.
18 Come un pazzo che scaglia tizzoni
e frecce di morte,
19 così è quell'uomo che inganna il suo prossimo
e poi dice: «Ma sì, è stato uno scherzo!».
20 Per mancanza di legna il fuoco si spegne;
se non c'è il delatore, il litigio si calma.
21 Mantice per il carbone e legna per il fuoco,
tale è l'attaccabrighe per rattizzar le liti.
22 Le parole del sussurrone sono come ghiotti bocconi,
esse scendono in fondo alle viscere.
23 Come vernice d'argento sopra un coccio di creta
sono le labbra lusinghiere con un cuore maligno.
24 Chi odia si maschera con le labbra,
ma nel suo intimo cova il tradimento;
25 anche se usa espressioni melliflue, non ti fidare,
perché egli ha sette abomini nel cuore.
26 L'odio si copre di simulazione,
ma la sua malizia apparirà pubblicamente.
27 Chi scava una fossa vi cadrà dentro
e chi rotola una pietra, gli ricadrà addosso.
28 Una lingua bugiarda odia la verità,
una bocca adulatrice produce rovina.

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

26 Like snow in the summer and like rain at the harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.
Like the sparrow is to fluttering and like the swallow is to flying,
    so an undeserved curse does not go forth.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly
    lest you become like him—even you.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or else he will be wise in his own eyes.
Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,
    so is he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.
Like legs that hang limp from a lame person,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like binding a stone in a sling,
    so is giving honor to a fool.
Like a thorn that goes up in the hand of a drunkard,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone,
    so is he who hires a fool or he who hires passersby.
11 Like a dog returning to his vomit
    is a fool reverting to his folly.
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
    There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 A lazy person says “A lion is in the road!
    A lion among the streets!”
14 The door turns on its hinge,
    and a lazy person on his bed.
15 A lazy person buries his hands in the dish;
    he is too tired to return it to his mouth.
16 A lazy person is wiser in his eyes
    than seven who answer discreetly.
17 Grabbing onto the ears of a dog
    passing by is one who meddles in a quarrel that is not his own.
18 Like a maniac who shoots
    firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 so is a man who deceives his neighbor,
    but says “Am I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood, a fire goes out,
    and where there is no whisperer, quarreling will cease.
21 As charcoal is to hot embers and wood is to fire,
    so a man of quarrels is to kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels,
    and they go down to the inner parts of the body.
23 Like impure silver[a] which overlays an earthen vessel,
    so are smooth lips and an evil heart[b].
24 On his lips, an enemy will pretend,
    but inside[c] he will harbor deceit.
25 When he makes his voice gracious, do not believe him,
    for seven abominations are in his heart.
26 Though hatred is covered with guile,
    its evil will be exposed in the assembly.
27 He who digs a pit, in it he will fall,
    and he who rolls a stone, on him it will come back.
28 A tongue of deceit hates its victim,
    and a flattering mouth makes ruin.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 Literally “silver of impurities”
  2. Proverbs 26:23 Or “mind”
  3. Proverbs 26:24 Literally “in his midst”