Font Size
Proverbs 26
Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 26
Christian Standard Bible
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(E)
and a rod for the backs of fools.(F)
4 Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness(G)
or you’ll be like him yourself.
5 Answer a fool according to his foolishness(H)
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.(I)
6 The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand(J)
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.(K)
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp.
8 Giving honor to a fool
is like binding a stone in a sling.
9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by[a] the hand of a drunkard.
10 The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone indiscriminately.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so also a fool repeats his foolishness.(L)
12 Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes?(M)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.(N)
13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion in the road—
a lion in the public square!” (O)
14 A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.(P)
15 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!(Q)
16 In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser(R)
than seven who can answer sensibly.
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,(S)
19 so is the person who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.(T)
21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.(U)
22 A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.[b](V)
23 Smooth[c] lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.(W)
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 detestable things in his heart.(X)
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.(Y)
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
Proverbs 26
International Standard Version
Proverbs 26
International Standard Version
On Fools
26 Like snowfall in summer or rain at harvest time,
so honor is inappropriate for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow
or a swallow in flight,
a curse without cause will not alight.
3 A whip is for the horses,
a bridle is for the donkey,
a rod is for the back of fools.
4 Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness,
or you will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his foolishness,
or he will think himself to be wise.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own[a] feet and drinks violence.
7 Useless legs to the lame—
that’s what a proverb quoted by a fool is.
8 Tying a stone to a sling—
that’s what giving honor to a fool is.
9 A thorn in the hand of a drunkard—
that’s what a proverb quoted by a fool is.
10 An archer who shoots at anyone—
is like someone who hires a fool or anyone who passes by.
11 A dog that returns to its vomit
is like a fool who reverts to his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own opinion?
There’s more hope for a fool than for him.
On Laziness
13 The lazy person claims, “There is a lion in the road!
There’s a lion in the streets!”
14 The door turns on its hinges—
as does the lazy person on his bed.
15 The lazy person buries his hand in the dish,
but he’s too tired to bring it to his mouth again.
16 The lazy person is wiser in his own opinion
than seven men who can give an appropriate response.
17 Picking up a dog by the ears—
that’s what someone is like who[b] meddles in another’s fight.
18 Like the maniac who shoots
fiery darts and deadly arrows—
19 that’s what someone is like who lies to his neighbor
and then says, “I was joking, wasn’t I?”
On Gossip and Backbiting
20 Without wood, the fire goes out.
Without a gossip, contention stops.
21 Charcoal is to hot coals
as wood is to fire;
so also a quarrelsome man fuels strife.
22 The words of a gossip are like delicate morsels;
they sink down deep within.
23 A clay vessel plated with a thin veneer of silver—
that’s what smooth[c] lips with a wicked heart are.
24 Someone who hates hides behind his words,
harboring deceit within himself.
25 Though he speaks graciously, don’t believe him,
for there are seven detestable things in his heart.
26 Though malice disguises itself with deception,
its evil will be exposed publicly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and the stone will come back
on whoever starts it rolling.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:6 The Heb. lacks his own
- Proverbs 26:17 Lit. who, as he is passing by,
- Proverbs 26:23 So LXX; MT reads burning
Proverbs 26
New International Version
Proverbs 26
New International Version
26 Like snow in summer or rain(A) in harvest,
honor is not fitting for a fool.(B)
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.(C)
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(D)
and a rod for the backs of fools!(E)
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.(F)
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.(G)
6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool(H)
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.(I)
8 Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.(J)
9 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
- Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
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.