English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

1Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest.

2Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.

2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.

3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

3Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back!

4Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.

4Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.

5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

5Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.

6Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

6Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!

7Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.

8Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool.

8Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.

9Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

9A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.

10Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

10An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random.

11Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who 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.

12There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.

13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!”

13The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”

14As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.

14As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.

15The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

15Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.

16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

16Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors.

17Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

17Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.

18Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death

18Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon

19is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”

19is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”

20For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

20Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.

21As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

21A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.

22The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

22Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.

23Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.

23Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.

24Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;

24People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you.

25when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;

25They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.

26though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

26While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.

27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

27If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead.

28A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

28A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.