Proverbs 26:15-28

English Standard Version

^15 (A)The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
¹⁶ The sluggard is ^(B)wiser in his own eyes
    ^(C)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 ^(D)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 ^(E)whisperer, ^(F)quarreling ceases.
²¹ As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
    so is ^(G)a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
^22 (H)The words of ^(I)a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into the inner parts of the body.
^23 (J)Like the ^(K)glaze^[a] 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 (L)when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
    for there are ^(M)seven abominations in his heart;
²⁶ though his hatred be covered with deception,
    his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
^27 (N)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.