Proverbs 25:15-26:10

English Standard Version

¹⁵ With ^(A)patience a ruler may be persuaded,
    and a soft tongue will break a bone.
¹⁶ If you have ^(B)found honey, eat ^(C)only enough for you,
    lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.
¹⁷ Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house,
    lest he have his fill of you and hate you.
¹⁸ A man who ^(D)bears false witness against his neighbor
    is like a war club, or ^(E)a sword, or a sharp arrow.
¹⁹ Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble
    is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
²⁰ Whoever ^(F)sings songs to a heavy heart
    is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,
    and like vinegar on soda.
^21 (G)If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
    and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
²² for you will heap ^(H)burning coals on his head,
    and the Lord will reward you.
²³ The north wind brings forth rain,
    and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
^24 (I)It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
²⁵ Like cold water to ^(J)a thirsty soul,
    so is ^(K)good news from a far country.
²⁶ Like ^(L)a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
    is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
²⁷ It is ^(M)not good to eat much honey,
    nor is it glorious to ^(N)seek one's own glory.^[a]
28 A man ^(O)without self-control
    is like ^(P)a city broken into and left without walls.
26 Like snow in summer or ^(Q)rain in harvest,
    so ^(R)honor is ^(S)not fitting for a fool.
² Like ^(T)a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
    ^(U)a curse that is causeless does not alight.
^3 (V)A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and ^(W)a rod for the back of fools.
^4 (X)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
^5 (Y)Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be ^(Z)wise in his own eyes.
⁶ Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
    cuts off his own feet and ^(AA)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 ^(AB)one who gives honor to a fool.
⁹ Like ^(AC)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.^[b]