| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool. | 1Like snowfall in summer or rain at harvest time, so honor is inappropriate for a fool. |
| 2Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere. | 2Like a fluttering sparrow or a swallow in flight, a curse without cause will not alight. |
| 3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools. | 3A whip is for the horses, a bridle is for the donkey, a rod is for the back of fools. |
| 4Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness or you'll be like him yourself. | 4Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness, or you will be just like him. |
| 5Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he'll become wise in his own eyes. | 5Answer a fool according to his foolishness, or he will think himself to be wise. |
| 6The one who sends a message by a fool's hand cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. | 6Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. |
| 7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like lame legs that hang limp. | 7Useless legs to the lame— that's what a proverb quoted by a fool is. |
| 8Giving honor to a fool is like binding a stone in a sling. | 8Tying a stone to a sling— that's what giving honor to a fool is. |
| 9A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a stick with thorns, brandished by the hand of a drunkard. | 9A thorn in the hand of a drunkard— that's what a proverb quoted by a fool is. |
| 10The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by is like an archer who wounds everyone. | 10An archer who shoots at anyone— is like someone who hires a fool or anyone who passes by. |
| 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. | 11A dog that returns to its vomit is like a fool who reverts to 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 who is wise in his own opinion? There's more hope for a fool than for him. |
| 13The slacker says, "There's a lion in the road-- a lion in the public square!" | 13The lazy person claims, "There is a lion in the road! There's a lion in the streets!" |
| 14A door turns on its hinges, and a slacker, on his bed. | 14The door turns on its hinges— as does the lazy person on his bed. |
| 15The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth. | 15The lazy person buries his hand in the dish, but he's too tired to bring it to his mouth again. |
| 16In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven men who can answer sensibly. | 16The lazy person is wiser in his own opinion than seven men who can give an appropriate response. |
| 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. | 17Picking up a dog by the ears— that's what someone is like who meddles in another's fight. |
| 18Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows, | 18Like the maniac who shoots fiery darts and deadly arrows— |
| 19so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!" | 19that's what someone is like who lies to his neighbor and then says, "I was joking, wasn't I?" |
| 20Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down. | 20Without wood, the fire goes out. Without a gossip, contention stops. |
| 21As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. | 21Charcoal is to hot coals as wood is to fire; so also a quarrelsome man fuels strife. |
| 22A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being. | 22The words of a gossip are like delicate morsels; they sink down deep within. |
| 23Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel. | 23A clay vessel plated with a thin veneer of silver— that's what smooth lips with a wicked heart are. |
| 24A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within. | 24Someone who hates hides behind his words, harboring deceit within himself. |
| 25When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart. | 25Though he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart. |
| 26Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly. | 26Though malice disguises itself with deception, its evil will be exposed publicly. |
| 27The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone-- it will come back on him. | 27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and the stone will come back on whoever starts it rolling. |
| 28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin. | 28A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth causes ruin. |
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