26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.

³ A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
    and a rod for the back of fools.
⁴ Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be wise in his own eyes.
⁶ He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
    cuts off his own feet and 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 he who gives honor to a fool.
⁹ Like 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 everybody
    is he who hires a passing fool or drunkard.^[a]
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit
    is a fool that repeats his folly.
¹² Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
    There is more hope for a fool than for him.