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Proverbs 26-27
English Standard Version
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
Proverbs 26-27
New International Version
Proverbs 26-27
New International Version
26 Like snow in summer or rain(A) in harvest,
honor is not fitting for a fool.(B)
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.(C)
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(D)
and a rod for the backs of fools!(E)
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.(F)
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.(G)
6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool(H)
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(I)
8 Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.(J)
9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(K)
10 Like an archer who wounds at random
is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,(L)
so fools repeat their folly.(M)
12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?(N)
There is more hope for a fool than for them.(O)
13 A sluggard says,(P) “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”(Q)
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.(R)
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.(S)
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
18 Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.(T)
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.(U)
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(V)
23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,(W)
but in their hearts they harbor deceit.(X)
25 Though their speech is charming,(Y) do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.(Z)
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit(AA) will fall into it;(AB)
if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.(AC)
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth(AD) works ruin.
2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.(AG)
3 Stone is heavy and sand(AH) a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?(AI)
5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.(AJ)
7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird that flees its nest(AK)
is anyone who flees from home.
9 Perfume(AL) and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.
10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster(AM) strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;(AN)
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.(AO)
12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.(AP)
13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.(AQ)
14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse.
15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping(AR)
of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,(AS)
and whoever protects their master will be honored.(AT)
19 As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.[b]
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,(AW)
but people are tested by their praise.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
grinding them like grain with a pestle,
you will not remove their folly from them.
23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,(AX)
give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,(AY)
and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
and to nourish your female servants.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth
- Proverbs 27:19 Or so others reflect your heart back to you
- Proverbs 27:20 Hebrew Abaddon
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.