³ A man’s own foolishness leads him astray,
yet his heart rages against the Lord.^(A)

³ It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute,^(A)
but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.^(B)

²⁰ Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,
but a foolish man consumes them.^[a](A)

¹⁵ Foolishness is tangled up in the heart of a youth;
the rod of discipline will drive it away from him.^(A)

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.^[a]
9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by^[b] 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.
¹¹ As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.^(L)
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?^(M)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.^(N)