26 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,^(A)
honor is inappropriate for a fool.^(B)

² Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow,^(C)
an undeserved curse goes nowhere.^(D)

³ A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,^(E)
and a rod for the backs of fools.^(F)
4 Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness^(G)
or you’ll be like him yourself.
⁵ Answer a fool according to his foolishness^(H)
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.^(I)
6 The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand^(J)
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.^(K)
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp.
⁸ Giving honor to a fool
is like binding a stone in a sling.
⁹ A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by^[a] the hand of a drunkard.
¹⁰ The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone indiscriminately.
¹¹ As a dog returns to its vomit,
so also a fool repeats his foolishness.^(L)
12 Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes?^(M)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.^(N)

¹³ The slacker says, “There’s a lion in the road—
a lion in the public square!” ^(O)
14 A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.^(P)
15 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!^(Q)
16 In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser^(R)
than seven who can answer sensibly.

¹⁷ A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
¹⁸ Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,^(S)
19 so is the person who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

²⁰ Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.^(T)
21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.^(U)
22 A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.^[b](V)

²³ Smooth^[c] lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.^(W)
24 A hateful person disguises himself with his speech
and harbors deceit within.
²⁵ When he speaks graciously, don’t believe him,
for there are seven detestable things in his heart.^(X)
26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception,
his evil will be revealed in the assembly.
²⁷ The one who digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever rolls a stone—
it will come back on him.^(Y)
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

27 Don’t boast about tomorrow,
for you don’t know what a day might bring.^(Z)

² Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—
a stranger, and not your own lips.^(AA)

³ A stone is heavy, and sand a burden,
but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.

⁴ Fury is cruel, and anger a flood,
but who can withstand jealousy?^(AB)

⁵ Better an open reprimand
than concealed love.^(AC)

⁶ The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,^(AD)
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.^(AE)

⁷ A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb,^(AF)
but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.

⁸ Anyone wandering from his home
is like a bird wandering from its nest.^(AG)

⁹ Oil^(AH) and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.^[d]

¹⁰ Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend,^(AI)
and don’t go to your brother’s house
in your time of calamity;
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.^(AJ)

¹¹ Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy,^(AK)
so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.^(AL)

¹² A sensible person sees danger and takes cover;
the inexperienced keep going and are punished.^(AM)

¹³ Take his garment,
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.^[e](AN)

¹⁴ If one blesses his neighbor
with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be counted as a curse to him.

¹⁵ An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike;^(AO)
16 the one who controls her controls the wind
and grasps oil with his right hand.

¹⁷ Iron sharpens iron,
and one person sharpens another.^[f]

¹⁸ Whoever tends a fig tree^(AP) will eat its fruit,^(AQ)
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

¹⁹ As water reflects the face,
so the heart reflects the person.

²⁰ Sheol and Abaddon^(AR) are never satisfied,^(AS)
and people’s eyes are never satisfied.^(AT)

²¹ As a crucible refines silver,
and a smelter refines gold,
so a person should refine his praise.^(AU)

²² Though you grind a fool
in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,
you will not separate his foolishness from him.^(AV)

²³ Know well the condition of your flock,^(AW)
and pay attention to your herds,
²⁴ for wealth is not forever;^(AX)
not even a crown lasts for all time.
²⁵ When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered in,
²⁶ lambs will provide your clothing,
and goats, the price of a field;
²⁷ there will be enough goat’s milk for your food—
food for your household
and nourishment for your female servants.^(AY)

28 The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them,^(AZ)
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.^(BA)

² When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers,^(BB)
but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.

³ A destitute leader^[g] who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no food.^(BC)

⁴ Those who reject the law praise the wicked,^(BD)
but those who keep the law pit themselves against them.^(BE)

⁵ The evil do not understand justice,^(BF)
but those who seek the Lord understand everything.^(BG)

⁶ Better the poor person who lives with integrity^(BH)
than the rich one who distorts right and wrong.^[h](BI)

⁷ A discerning son keeps the law,
but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.^(BJ)

⁸ Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest^(BK)
collects it for one who is kind to the poor.^(BL)

⁹ Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law—
even his prayer is detestable.^(BM)

¹⁰ The one who leads the upright into an evil way
will fall into his own pit,^(BN)
but the blameless will inherit what is good.^(BO)

¹¹ A rich person is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor one who has discernment sees through him.

¹² When the righteous triumph,
there is great rejoicing,^[i]
but when the wicked come to power,
people hide.^(BP)

¹³ The one who conceals his sins
will not prosper,^(BQ)
but whoever confesses and renounces them
will find mercy.^(BR)

¹⁴ Happy is the one who is always reverent,^(BS)
but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.^(BT)

¹⁵ A wicked ruler over a helpless people^(BU)
is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.^(BV)

¹⁶ A leader who lacks understanding
is very oppressive,
but one who hates dishonest profit
prolongs his life.^(BW)

¹⁷ Someone burdened by bloodguilt^[j]
will be a fugitive until death.^(BX)
Let no one help him.^(BY)

¹⁸ The one who lives with integrity will be helped,
but one who distorts right and wrong^[k]
will suddenly fall.^(BZ)

¹⁹ The one who works his land
will have plenty of food,^(CA)
but whoever chases fantasies
will have his fill of poverty.^(CB)

²⁰ A faithful person will have many blessings,^(CC)
but one in a hurry to get rich^(CD)
will not go unpunished.

²¹ It is not good to show partiality^(CE)—
yet even a courageous person may sin for a piece of bread.^(CF)

²² A greedy one^[l] is in a hurry for wealth;
he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.^(CG)

²³ One who rebukes a person will later find more favor^(CH)
than one who flatters with his tongue.^(CI)

²⁴ The one who robs his father or mother^(CJ)
and says, “That’s no sin,”^(CK)
is a companion to a person who destroys.^(CL)

²⁵ A greedy person stirs up conflict,^(CM)
but whoever trusts in the Lord will prosper.^(CN)

²⁶ The one who trusts in himself^[m] is a fool,
but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.^(CO)

²⁷ The one who gives to the poor
will not be in need,
but one who turns his eyes away^[n]
will receive many curses.^(CP)

²⁸ When the wicked come to power,
people hide,
but when they are destroyed,
the righteous flourish.^(CQ)