| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool. | 1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. |
| 2Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere. | 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 backs of fools. | 3A whip for the horse and a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! |
| 4Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness or you'll 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 foolishness or he'll become wise in his own eyes. | 5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own estimation. |
| 6The one who sends a message by a fool's hand 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. |
| 7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like lame legs that hang limp. | 7Like legs that hang limp from the lame, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. |
| 8Giving honor to a fool is like binding a stone in a sling. | 8Like tying a stone in a sling, so is giving honor to a fool. |
| 9A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a stick with thorns, brandished by the hand of a drunkard. | 9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. |
| 10The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by is like an archer who wounds everyone. | 10Like an archer who wounds at random, so is the one who hires a fool or hires any passer-by. |
| 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. | 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 slacker says, "There's a lion in the road-- a lion in the public square!" | 13The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion in the streets!" |
| 14A door turns on its hinges, and a slacker, on his bed. | 14Like a door that turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. |
| 15The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth. | 15The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. |
| 16In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven men who can answer sensibly. | 16The sluggard is wiser in his own estimation than seven people who respond with good sense. |
| 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. | 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 flaming darts and deadly arrows, | 18Like a madman who shoots firebrands and deadly arrows, |
| 19so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!" | 19so is a person who deceives his neighbor, and says, "Was I not only joking?" |
| 20Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down. | 20Where there is no wood, a fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, contention ceases. |
| 21As charcoal for embers and wood for 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. |
| 22A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being. | 22The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into a person's innermost being. |
| 23Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel. | 23Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. |
| 24A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within. | 24The one who hates others disguises it with his lips, but he stores up deceit within him. |
| 25When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, 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 is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly. | 26Though his hatred may be concealed by deceit, his evil will be uncovered in the assembly. |
| 27The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone-- it will come back on him. | 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 those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin. | 28A lying tongue hates those crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin. |
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