| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. | 1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. |
| 2Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight. | 2Like a fluttering bird or like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause does not come to rest. |
| 3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools. | 3A whip for the horse and a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! |
| 4Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. | 4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you yourself also be like him. |
| 5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. | 5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own estimation. |
| 6Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. | 6Like cutting off the feet or drinking violence, so is sending a message by the hand of a fool. |
| 7Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools. | 7Like legs that hang limp from the lame, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. |
| 8Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool. | 8Like tying a stone in a sling, so is giving honor to a fool. |
| 9Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools. | 9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. |
| 10Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard. | 10Like an archer who wounds at random, so is the one who hires a fool or hires any passer-by. |
| 11Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. | 11Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. |
| 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 wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. |
| 13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!” | 13The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion in the streets!" |
| 14As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. | 14Like a door that turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. |
| 15The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. | 15The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. |
| 16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. | 16The sluggard is wiser in his own estimation than seven people who respond with good sense. |
| 17Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears. | 17Like one who grabs a wild dog by the ears, so is the person passing by who becomes furious over a quarrel not his own. |
| 18Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death | 18Like a madman who shoots firebrands and deadly arrows, |
| 19is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!” | 19so is a person who deceives his neighbor, and says, "Was I not only joking?" |
| 20For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. | 20Where there is no wood, a fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, contention ceases. |
| 21As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. | 21Like charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious person to kindle strife. |
| 22The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. | 22The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into a person's innermost being. |
| 23Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart. | 23Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. |
| 24Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; | 24The one who hates others disguises it with his lips, but he stores up deceit within him. |
| 25when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; | 25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations within him. |
| 26though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. | 26Though his hatred may be concealed by deceit, his evil will be uncovered in the assembly. |
| 27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. | 27The one who digs a pit will fall into it; the one who rolls a stone--it will come back on him. |
| 28A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. | 28A lying tongue hates those crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin. |
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