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
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
so honor is not fitting for a fool.(A)
2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
an undeserved curse goes nowhere.(B)
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.(C)
4 Do not answer fools according to their folly,
lest you be a fool yourself.(D)
5 Answer fools according to their folly,
lest they be wise in their own eyes.(E)
6 It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,
to send a message by a fool.
7 The legs of a lame person hang limp;
so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(F)
8 It is like binding a stone in a sling
to give honor to a fool.(G)
9 Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(H)
10 Like an archer who wounds everybody
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[a]
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit
is a fool who reverts to his folly.(I)
12 Do you see people wise in their own eyes?
There is more hope for fools than for them.(J)
13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”(K)
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a lazy person in bed.
15 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish
and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.(L)
16 The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem
than seven who can answer discreetly.
17 Like someone who takes a passing dog by the ears
is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.(M)
18 Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,(N)
19 so is one who deceives a neighbor
and says, “I am only joking!”(O)
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.(P)
21 As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.(Q)
22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.(R)
23 Like the glaze[b] covering an earthen vessel
are smooth[c] lips with an evil heart.
24 An enemy dissembles in speaking
while harboring deceit within;(S)
25 when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it,
for there are seven abominations concealed within;(T)
26 though hatred is covered with guile,
the enemy’s wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.(U)
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.(V)
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.(W)
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