Proverbs 26

Wycliffe Bible

26 As snow in summer, and rain in harvest; so glory is unseemly to a fool. (Like snow in summer, and rain at harvest; so glory is unbecoming to a fool.)

² For as a bird flying over to high things, and as a sparrow going into uncertain; so cursing brought forth without reasonable cause shall come above into some man. (Like a bird flying over to high places, and like a sparrow going into uncertainty; so cursing brought forth without a reasonable cause, shall simply go over someone, and not touch them.)

³ Beating be to an horse, and a bridle to an ass; and a rod to the back of unprudent men.

⁴ Answer thou not to a fool after his folly, lest thou be made like him.

⁵ Answer thou (to) a fool after his folly, lest he seem to himself to be wise (lest he thinketh himself to be wise).

⁶ (As) An halting man in feet, and drinking wickedness, that is, drink harmful to himself, (is) he that sendeth words by a fond messenger. (Like a person who is lame, and like someone who drinketh a drink that is harmful to himself, is he who sendeth words by a foolish messenger.)

⁷ As an halting man hath fair legs in vain; so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.

⁸ As he that sendeth a stone into the broad place of the sling; so he that giveth honour to an unwise man. (Like he who sendeth a stone into the broad place of a sling, is he who giveth honour to an unwise person.)

⁹ As if a thorn groweth in the hand of a drunken man; so is a parable in the mouth of fools. (Like a thorn that groweth in the hand of a drunk, is a parable in the mouth of a fool.)

¹⁰ Doom determineth causes; and he that setteth silence to a fool, assuageth ires. (Judgement decideth a person’s case; and he who telleth a fool to be silent, lesseneth anger.)

¹¹ As a dog that turneth again to his spewing [As an hound that turneth again to his vomit]; so is an unprudent man, that rehearseth his folly. (Like a dog that returneth to his vomit, is an imprudent person, who repeateth his own foolishness.)

¹² Thou hast seen a man seem wise to himself; an unknowing man shall have hope more than he. (Thou hast seen a person who taketh himself to be wise; but a person without knowledge, yea, a fool, shall have more hope than him.)

¹³ A slow man saith, A lion is in the way, a lioness is in the footpaths. (A lazy person saith, A lion is there on the way, a lioness is there on the footpaths!)

¹⁴ As a door is turned in his hinges; so a slow man in his bed. (Like a door turning on its hinges, is a lazy person turning in his bed.)

¹⁵ A slow man hideth his hands under his armpit; and he travaileth, if he turneth them up to his mouth. (A lazy person hideth his hands under his armpit; and he laboureth, if he turneth them up to his mouth.)

¹⁶ A slow man seemeth wiser to himself, than seven men speaking sentences. (A lazy person seemeth wiser to himself, than seven people speaking forth their thoughts.)

¹⁷ As he that taketh a dog by the ears; so he that passeth, and is unpatient, and is meddled with the chiding of another man. (Like he who taketh a dog by the ears, is he who passeth by, and is impatient, and is mixed in, or mingled, with the argument of another man.)

¹⁸ As he is guilty, that sendeth spears and arrows into death, (Like he is guilty, who sendeth spears and arrows into uncertainty, causing death,)

¹⁹ so a man that harmeth guilefully his friend, and when he is taken, he shall say, I did playing. (is a person who deceitfully harmeth his friend, and when he is caught, he saith, I was just playing.)

²⁰ When trees fail [When woods shall fail], the fire shall be quenched; and when a privy backbiter is withdrawn, strives rest. (When there is no more wood, the fire shall be quenched; and when a gossip departeth, or stoppeth speaking, the argument shall be ended.)

²¹ As dead coals at quick coals, and trees at the fire [As dead coals to quick coals, and wood to fire]; so a wrathful man (that) raiseth chidings. (Like dead coals to burning coals, and wood to fire, is an angry person who raiseth up arguments, or strife.)

²² The words of a privy backbiter be as simple (The words of a gossip be tasty); and those come till to the innerest things of the heart.

²³ As if thou wouldest adorn a vessel of earth, (that is, a cheap pot made out of clay,) with the dross of silver, so be swelling lips fellowshipped with a full wicked heart.

²⁴ An enemy is understood by his lips, when he treateth guiles in his heart. (An enemy can be understood by his words, when he treateth deceitfulness in his heart.)

²⁵ (Yea,) When he maketh low his voice, believe thou not to him; for seven wickednesses be in his heart.

²⁶ The malice of him that covereth hatred guilefully, shall be showed in a council. (The malice of one who deceitfully covereth hatred, shall be shown before the assembly.)

²⁷ He that delveth a ditch, shall fall into it; and if a man walloweth a stone, it shall turn again (on)to him.

²⁸ A false tongue loveth not [the] truth; and a slippery mouth worketh fallings.