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Proverbs 25:15-26:24
English Standard Version
Proverbs 25:15-26:24
English Standard Version
15 With (A)patience a ruler may be persuaded,
and a soft tongue will break a bone.
16 If you have (B)found honey, eat (C)only enough for you,
lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.
17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house,
lest he have his fill of you and hate you.
18 A man who (D)bears false witness against his neighbor
is like a war club, or (E)a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble
is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
20 Whoever (F)sings songs to a heavy heart
is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,
and like vinegar on soda.
21 (G)If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
22 for you will heap (H)burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
24 (I)It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
25 Like cold water to (J)a thirsty soul,
so is (K)good news from a far country.
26 Like (L)a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is (M)not good to eat much honey,
nor is it glorious to (N)seek one's own glory.[a]
28 A man (O)without self-control
is like (P)a city broken into and left without walls.
26 Like snow in summer or (Q)rain in harvest,
so (R)honor is (S)not fitting for a fool.
2 Like (T)a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
(U)a curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 (V)A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and (W)a rod for the back of fools.
4 (X)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
5 (Y)Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be (Z)wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and (AA)drinks violence.
7 Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless,
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is (AB)one who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like (AC)a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[b]
11 Like (AD)a dog that returns to his vomit
is (AE)a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is (AF)wise in his own eyes?
(AG)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 (AH)The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 (AI)The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is (AJ)wiser in his own eyes
(AK)than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws (AL)firebrands, arrows, and death
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I am only joking!”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no (AM)whisperer, (AN)quarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is (AO)a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 (AP)The words of (AQ)a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 (AR)Like the (AS)glaze[c] covering an earthen vessel
are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
and harbors deceit in his heart;
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:27 The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain
- Proverbs 26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby
- Proverbs 26:23 By revocalization; Hebrew silver of dross
Proverbs 25:15-26:24
New International Version
Proverbs 25:15-26:24
New International Version
16 If you find honey, eat just enough—
too much of it, and you will vomit.(C)
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you.
18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.(D)
19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
or like vinegar poured on a wound,
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals(E) on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.(F)
23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.
24 Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(G)
25 Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.(H)
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
are the righteous who give way to the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey,(I)
nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.(J)
28 Like a city whose walls are broken through
is a person who lacks self-control.
26 Like snow in summer or rain(K) in harvest,
honor is not fitting for a fool.(L)
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.(M)
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(N)
and a rod for the backs of fools!(O)
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.(P)
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.(Q)
6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool(R)
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(S)
8 Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.(T)
9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(U)
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,(V)
so fools repeat their folly.(W)
12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?(X)
There is more hope for a fool than for them.(Y)
13 A sluggard says,(Z) “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”(AA)
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.(AB)
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.(AC)
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!”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.