Proverbs 26
Lexham English Bible
26 Like snow in the summer and like rain at the harvest,
so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like the sparrow is to fluttering and like the swallow is to flying,
so an undeserved curse does not go forth.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly
lest you become like him—even you.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or else he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,
so is he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.
7 Like legs that hang limp from a lame person,
so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like binding a stone in a sling,
so is giving honor to a fool.
9 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
- Proverbs 26:23 Literally “silver of impurities”
- Proverbs 26:23 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 26:24 Literally “in his midst”
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.
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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.