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Proverbs 26
New International Version
Proverbs 26
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth
Proverbs 26
English Standard Version
Proverbs 26
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby
- Proverbs 26:23 By revocalization; Hebrew silver of dross
Proverbs 26
Maori Bible
Proverbs 26
Maori Bible
26 He pera i te hukarere i te raumati, i te ua hoki i te kotinga witi, te kore e tau o te honore mo te wairangi.
2 He pera i te manu e rererere noa ana, i te waroa i ona rerenga te kanga pokanoa; e kore e whakatau.
3 He whiu mo te hoiho, he paraire mo te kaihe, a he rakau mo te tuara o nga wairangi.
4 Kei rite ki tona whakaarokore tau whakautu ki te wairangi, kei rite hoki a koe na ki a ia.
5 Kia rite ki tona whakaarokore tau whakautu ki te wairangi, kei mea ia he whakaaro nui ia.
6 Ko te tangata e tuku korero ana ma te ringa o te wairangi, e tapahi ana i ona waewae ano, e inumia ana hoki te he.
7 E tautau noa ana nga waewae o te kopa: he pera hoki te whakatauki i te mangai o te wairangi.
8 Ko te takai mea whakapaipai i roto i te puranga kohatu, ko tona rite kei te tangata e whakakororia ano i te wairangi.
9 E rite ana ki te tataramoa e wero nei i te ringa o te haurangi, koia ano te whakatauki i te mangai o nga wairangi.
10 Ka rite ki te kaikopere i tu ai te katoa, te tangata e utu ana i te wairangi me te tangata hoki e utu ana i nga tira haere.
11 Ka rite ki te kuri e hoki nei ki tona ruaki, te wairangi e tuarua ana i tona poauau.
12 Ka kite koe i te tangata e mea ana ki a ia he whakaaro nui? Ki ta te whakaaro tera e rahi ake ta te wairangi i tana.
13 E ki ana te mangere, He raiona kei te ara; he raiona kei nga waharoa.
14 He pera i te tatau e tahurihuri ra i runga i ona inihi, koia ano te mangere i runga i tona moenga.
15 E kuhua ana e te mangere tona ringa ki te rihi; he mahi ngenge rawa ki a ia te whakahoki mai ki tona mangai.
16 He nui ke ake te whakaaro nui o te mangere, ki tana nei whakaaro, i to nga tangata tokowhitu e whakaatu ana i te tikanga.
17 Ko te tangata e haere atu ana, e pokanoa ana ki te whawhai ehara nei i a ia, ko tona rite kei te tangata e hopu ana i te kuri ki ona taringa.
18 Rite tonu ki te haurangi e makamaka ana i nga mea mura, i nga pere, i te mate,
19 Te tangata e tinihanga ana ki tona hoa, e mea ana, He teka ianei he takaro taku?
20 Ki te kahore he wahie, ka mate te ahi: ki te kore hoki he tangata kawekawe korero, ka mutu te ngangare.
21 He waro ki nga ngarahu wera, he wahie ki te ahi; he pera te tangata totohe ki te tahu i te ngangare.
22 He rite nga kupu a te kaikawekawe korero ki te maramara reka, tae tonu iho ki nga wahi o roto rawa o te kopu.
23 He ngutu puka me te ngakau kino, ko te rite kei te oko oneone i whakakikoruatia ki te para hiriwa.
24 Ko te tangata mauahara e whakaware ana ki ona ngutu, otiia e rongoatia ana e ia te tinihanga ki roto ki a ia:
25 Ki te pai tona reo, kaua e whakapono ki a ia; e whitu hoki nga mea whakarihariha kei roto i tona ngakau.
26 Ahakoa hipoki tona mauahara i a ia ki te tinihanga, ka whakakitea nuitia tona kino ki te aroaro o te whakaminenga.
27 Ko te tangata e keri ana i te rua, ka taka ano ki roto: a ko te tangata e huri ana i te kohatu, ka hoki mai ano ki runga ki a ia.
28 E kino ana te arero teka ki ana i kuru ai; a, ko ta te mangai whakapati, he mahi kia ngaro.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Maori Bible (MAORI)