Proverbs 26
New American Standard Bible
Similitudes and Instructions
26 Like snow in summer and like (A)rain in harvest,
So honor is not (B)fitting for a fool.
2 Like a (C)sparrow in its [a]flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
So a (D)curse without cause does not come to rest.
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 [b]according to his foolishness,
Or you will also be like him.
5 (H)Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves,
So that he will not be (I)wise in his own eyes.
6 One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Chops off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 Like [c]useless legs to one who cannot walk,
So is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
8 Like [d]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is one who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn that [e]sticks in the hand of a heavy drinker,
So is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
10 [f]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is one who hires a fool or hires those who pass by.
11 Like (J)a dog that returns to its vomit,
So is a fool who (K)repeats [g]his foolishness.
12 Do you see a person (L)wise in his own eyes?
(M)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 [h]A (N)lazy one says, “There is a lion on the road!
A lion is [i]in the public square!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does a (O)lazy one on his bed.
15 A (P)lazy one buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.
16 A lazy one is (Q)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven people who can [j]give a discreet answer.
17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears,
So is one who passes by and [k]meddles with (R)strife not belonging to him.
18 Like a maniac who shoots
(S)Flaming arrows, arrows, and death,
19 So is a person who (T)deceives his neighbor,
And says, “(U)Was I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no (V)gossiper, (W)quarreling quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a (X)contentious person to kindle strife.
22 The (Y)words of a gossiper are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [l]innermost parts of the body.
23 Like an earthenware (Z)vessel overlaid with silver [m](AA)impurities
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 One who (AB)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he harbors (AC)deceit in his [n]heart.
25 When [o]he (AD)speaks graciously, do not believe him,
Because there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred (AE)covers itself with deception,
His wickedness will be (AF)revealed in the assembly.
27 One who (AG)digs a pit will fall into it,
And one who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates [p]those it crushes,
And a (AH)flattering mouth works ruin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:2 Lit wandering
- Proverbs 26:4 I.e., taking his question or argument seriously
- Proverbs 26:7 Lit legs that dangle from one paralyzed
- Proverbs 26:8 Lit the binding of
- Proverbs 26:9 Lit goes up
- Proverbs 26:10 Or A master workman produces all things, But one who hires a fool is like one who hires those who pass by
- Proverbs 26:11 Lit with his
- Proverbs 26:13 Lit an idle, and so throughout the ch
- Proverbs 26:13 Lit within
- Proverbs 26:16 Lit return discreetly
- Proverbs 26:17 Lit infuriates himself
- Proverbs 26:22 Lit chambers of the belly
- Proverbs 26:23 Lit dross
- Proverbs 26:24 Lit inward part
- Proverbs 26:25 Lit his voice is gracious
- Proverbs 26:28 Lit its crushed ones
Proverbs 26
English Standard Version
26 Like snow in summer or (A)rain in harvest,
so (B)honor is (C)not fitting for a fool.
2 Like (D)a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
(E)a curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 (F)A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and (G)a rod for the back of fools.
4 (H)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
5 (I)Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be (J)wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and (K)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 (L)one who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like (M)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.[a]
11 Like (N)a dog that returns to his vomit
is (O)a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is (P)wise in his own eyes?
(Q)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 (R)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 (S)The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is (T)wiser in his own eyes
(U)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 (V)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 (W)whisperer, (X)quarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is (Y)a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 (Z)The words of (AA)a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 (AB)Like the (AC)glaze[b] 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;
25 (AD)when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
for there are (AE)seven abominations in his heart;
26 though his hatred be covered with deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 (AF)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby
- Proverbs 26:23 By revocalization; Hebrew silver of dross
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
