| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool. | 1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool. |
| 2Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. | 2Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere. |
| 3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! | 3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools. |
| 4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. | 4Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness or you'll be like him yourself. |
| 5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes. | 5Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he'll become wise in his own eyes. |
| 6Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. | 6The one who sends a message by a fool's hand cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. |
| 7Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. | 7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like lame legs that hang limp. |
| 8Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. | 8Giving honor to a fool is like binding a stone in a sling. |
| 9Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. | 9A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a stick with thorns, brandished by the hand of a drunkard. |
| 10Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby. | 10The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by is like an archer who wounds everyone. |
| 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. | 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. |
| 12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. | 12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. |
| 13The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!” | 13The slacker says, "There's a lion in the road-- a lion in the public square!" |
| 14As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed. | 14A door turns on its hinges, and a slacker, on his bed. |
| 15The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. | 15The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth. |
| 16The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly. | 16In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven men who can answer sensibly. |
| 17Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own. | 17A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that's not his is like one who grabs a dog by the ears. |
| 18Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows, | 18Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows, |
| 19so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” | 19so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!" |
| 20Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases. | 20Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down. |
| 21Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. | 21As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. |
| 22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being. | 22A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being. |
| 23Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart. | 23Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel. |
| 24A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. | 24A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within. |
| 25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. | 25When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart. |
| 26Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. | 26Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly. |
| 27He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. | 27The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone-- it will come back on him. |
| 28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin. | 28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin. |
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