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)
Proverbs 26
New Living Translation
26 Honor is no more associated with fools
than snow with summer or rain with harvest.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,
and a fool with a rod to his back!
4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or you will become as foolish as they are.
5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or they will become wise in their own estimation.
6 Trusting a fool to convey a message
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
8 Honoring a fool
is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.
10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander
is like an archer who shoots at random.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.
12 There is more hope for fools
than for people who think they are wise.
13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road!
Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,
so the lazy person turns over in bed.
15 Lazy people take food in their hand
but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter
than seven wise counselors.
17 Interfering in someone else’s argument
is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
18 Just as damaging
as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
19 is someone who lies to a friend
and then says, “I was only joking.”
20 Fire goes out without wood,
and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
21 A quarrelsome person starts fights
as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
22 Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
23 Smooth[a] words may hide a wicked heart,
just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.
24 People may cover their hatred with pleasant words,
but they’re deceiving you.
25 They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them.
Their hearts are full of many evils.[b]
26 While their hatred may be concealed by trickery,
their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.
27 If you set a trap for others,
you will get caught in it yourself.
If you roll a boulder down on others,
it will crush you instead.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and flattering words cause ruin.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
