Proverbs 26-27
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.
27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
(AG)for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let (AH)another praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
but (AI)a fool's provocation is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
but who can stand before (AJ)jealousy?
5 (AK)Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Faithful are (AL)the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
7 One who is full loathes (AM)honey,
but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
8 Like (AN)a bird that strays from its nest
is a man who strays from his home.
9 (AO)Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.[c]
10 Do not forsake your friend and (AP)your father's friend,
and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity.
(AQ)Better is a neighbor who is near
than a brother who is far away.
11 (AR)Be wise, (AS)my son, and (AT)make my heart glad,
that I may (AU)answer him who reproaches me.
12 (AV)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but (AW)the simple go on and suffer for it.
13 (AX)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.[d]
14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning,
will be counted as cursing.
15 (AY)A continual dripping on a rainy day
and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind
or to grasp[e] oil in one's right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.[f]
18 (AZ)Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who (BA)guards his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
so the heart of man reflects the man.
20 (BB)Sheol and Abaddon are (BC)never satisfied,
and (BD)never satisfied are the eyes of man.
21 (BE)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and a man is tested by his praise.
22 (BF)Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
along with crushed grain,
yet his folly will not depart from him.
23 (BG)Know well the condition of your flocks,
and (BH)give attention to your herds,
24 for (BI)riches do not last forever;
and does a crown endure to all generations?
25 (BJ)When the grass is gone and the new growth appears
and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26 (BK)the lambs will provide your clothing,
and the goats the price of a field.
27 (BL)There will be enough goats' milk for your food,
for the food of your household
and maintenance for your girls.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby
- Proverbs 26:23 By revocalization; Hebrew silver of dross
- Proverbs 27:9 Or and so does the sweetness of a friend that comes from his earnest counsel
- Proverbs 27:13 Hebrew a foreign woman; a slight emendation yields (compare Vulgate; see also 20:16) foreigners
- Proverbs 27:16 Hebrew to meet with
- Proverbs 27:17 Hebrew sharpens the face of another
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.