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
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
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
