Proverbs 26

Legacy Standard Bible

26 Like snow in summer and like ^(A)rain in harvest,
So glory is not ^(B)fitting for a fool.
² Like a ^(C)sparrow in its ^[a]flitting, like a swallow in flying,
So a ^(D)curse without cause does not come to pass.
³ A ^(E)whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a ^(F)rod for the back of fools.
^4 (G)Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you yourself also be like him.
^5 (H)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be ^(I)wise in his own eyes.
⁶ He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends words by the hand of a fool.
⁷ Like the legs which hang limp on the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
⁸ Like ^[b]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives glory to a fool.
⁹ Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
^10 [c]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
¹¹ Like ^(J)a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who ^(K)repeats ^[d]his folly.
¹² Do you see a man ^(L)wise in his own eyes?
^(M)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
¹³ The ^(N)sluggard says, “There is a fierce lion in the road!
A lion is ^[e]among the streets!”
¹⁴ As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the ^(O)sluggard on his bed.
¹⁵ The ^(P)sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is too weary to return it to his mouth.
¹⁶ The sluggard is ^(Q)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can respond with a discreet answer.
¹⁷ Like one who seizes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and becomes passionate about ^(R)strife not belonging to him.
¹⁸ Like a madman who shoots
^(S)Firebrands, arrows, and death,
¹⁹ So is the man who ^(T)deceives his neighbor,
And says, “^(U)Am I not joking?”
²⁰ With no wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no ^(V)whisperer, ^(W)strife quiets down.
²¹ Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a ^(X)contentious man to kindle strife.
²² The ^(Y)words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the stomach.
²³ Like an earthen ^(Z)vessel overlaid with silver ^(AA)dross
Are fiery lips and an evil heart.
²⁴ He who ^(AB)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he sets up ^(AC)deceit within himself.
²⁵ When he ^(AD)makes his voice gracious, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
²⁶ Though his hatred ^(AE)covers itself with guile,
His evil will be ^(AF)revealed in the assembly.
²⁷ He who ^(AG)digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will turn back on him.
²⁸ A lying tongue hates ^[f]those it crushes,
And a ^(AH)flattering mouth works ruin.