26 Like snow in summer and like ^(A)rain in harvest,
So honor is not ^(B)fitting for a fool.
² Like a ^(C)sparrow in its ^[a]flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
So a ^(D)curse without cause does not ^[b]alight.
³ A ^(E)whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a ^(F)rod for the back of fools.
^4 (G)Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Or you will also be like him.
^5 (H)Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be ^(I)wise in his own eyes.
⁶ He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.
⁷ Like the legs which ^[c]are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
⁸ Like ^[d]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives honor to a fool.
⁹ Like a thorn which ^[e]falls into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
^10 [f]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
¹¹ Like ^(J)a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who ^(K)repeats ^[g]his folly.
¹² Do you see a man ^(L)wise in his own eyes?
^(M)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
¹³ The ^(N)sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
A lion is ^[h]in the open square!”
¹⁴ As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the ^(O)sluggard on his bed.
¹⁵ The ^(P)sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.
¹⁶ The sluggard is ^(Q)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can ^[i]give a discreet answer.
¹⁷ Like one who takes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and ^[j]meddles with ^(R)strife not belonging to him.
¹⁸ Like a madman who throws
^(S)Firebrands, arrows and death,
¹⁹ So is the man who ^(T)deceives his neighbor,
And says, “^(U)Was I not joking?”
²⁰ For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no ^(V)whisperer, ^(W)contention quiets down.
²¹ Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a ^(X)contentious man to kindle strife.
²² The ^(Y)words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the ^[k]innermost parts of the body.
²³ Like an earthen ^(Z)vessel overlaid with silver ^(AA)dross
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
²⁴ He who ^(AB)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up ^(AC)deceit in his ^[l]heart.
²⁵ When ^[m]he ^(AD)speaks graciously, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
²⁶ Though his hatred ^(AE)covers itself with guile,
His wickedness will be ^(AF)revealed before the assembly.
²⁷ He who ^(AG)digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
²⁸ A lying tongue hates ^[n]those it crushes,
And a ^(AH)flattering mouth works ruin.

27 ^(AI)Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you ^(AJ)do not know what a day may bring forth.
² Let ^(AK)another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
³ A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
⁴ Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But ^(AL)who can stand before jealousy?
⁵ Better is ^(AM)open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
⁶ Faithful are the ^(AN)wounds of a friend,
But ^[o]deceitful are the ^(AO)kisses of an enemy.
⁷ A sated ^[p]man ^[q]loathes honey,
But to a famished ^[r]man any bitter thing is sweet.
⁸ Like a ^(AP)bird that wanders from her nest,
So is a man who ^(AQ)wanders from his ^[s]home.
^9 (AR)Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
So a ^[t]man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.
¹⁰ Do not forsake your own ^(AS)friend or ^(AT)your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.
^11 (AU)Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
That I may ^(AV)reply to him who reproaches me.
¹² A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
The ^[u]naive proceed and pay the penalty.
^13 (AW)Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for an ^[v]adulterous woman hold him in pledge.
^14 (AX)He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be reckoned a curse to him.
¹⁵ A ^(AY)constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
¹⁶ He who would ^[w]restrain her ^[x]restrains the wind,
And ^[y]grasps oil with his right hand.
¹⁷ Iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another.
¹⁸ He who tends the ^(AZ)fig tree will eat its fruit,
And he who ^(BA)cares for his master will be honored.
¹⁹ As in water face reflects face,
So the heart of man reflects man.
^20 [z](BB)Sheol and ^[aa]Abaddon are ^(BC)never satisfied,
Nor are the ^(BD)eyes of man ever satisfied.
²¹ The ^(BE)crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And each ^(BF)is tested by the praise accorded him.
²² Though you ^(BG)pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

28 The wicked ^(BK)flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are ^[ac]bold as a lion.
² By the transgression of a land ^(BL)many are its princes,
But ^(BM)by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.
³ A ^(BN)poor man who oppresses the lowly
Is like a driving rain ^[ad]which leaves no food.
⁴ Those who forsake the law ^(BO)praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law ^(BP)strive with them.
⁵ Evil men ^(BQ)do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord ^(BR)understand all things.
^6 (BS)Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than he who is ^[ae]crooked though he be rich.
⁷ He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
But he who is a companion of ^(BT)gluttons humiliates his father.
⁸ He who increases his wealth by ^(BU)interest and usury
Gathers it ^(BV)for him who is gracious to the poor.
⁹ He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,
Even his ^(BW)prayer is an abomination.
¹⁰ He who leads the upright astray in an evil way
Will ^(BX)himself fall into his own pit,
But the ^(BY)blameless will inherit good.
¹¹ The rich man is ^(BZ)wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding ^[af]sees through him.
¹² When the ^(CA)righteous triumph, there is great glory,
But ^(CB)when the wicked rise, men ^[ag]hide themselves.
¹³ He who ^(CC)conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who ^(CD)confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
¹⁴ How blessed is the man who ^(CE)fears always,
But he who ^(CF)hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
¹⁵ Like a ^(CG)roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a ^(CH)wicked ruler over a poor people.
¹⁶ A ^(CI)leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
¹⁷ A man who is ^(CJ)laden with the guilt of human blood
Will ^[ah]be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.
¹⁸ He who walks blamelessly will be delivered,
But he who is ^[ai](CK)crooked will fall all at once.
^19 (CL)He who tills his land will ^(CM)have plenty of food,
But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.
²⁰ A ^(CN)faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who ^(CO)makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.
²¹ To ^[aj](CP)show partiality is not good,
^(CQ)Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
²² A man with an ^(CR)evil eye ^(CS)hastens after wealth
And does not know that want will come upon him.
²³ He who ^(CT)rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
Than he who ^(CU)flatters with the tongue.
²⁴ He who ^(CV)robs his father or his mother
And says, “It is not a transgression,”
Is the ^(CW)companion of a man who destroys.
²⁵ An ^[ak]arrogant man ^(CX)stirs up strife,
But he who ^(CY)trusts in the Lord ^(CZ)will ^[al]prosper.
²⁶ He who ^(DA)trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But he who walks wisely will be delivered.
²⁷ He who ^(DB)gives to the poor will never want,
But he who ^[am]shuts his eyes will have many curses.
²⁸ When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.