| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool. | 1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool. |
| 2Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, So a curse without cause does not alight. | 2Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. |
| 3A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the back 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 will also be like him. | 4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. |
| 5Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes. | 5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes. |
| 6He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence Who sends a message by the hand of a fool. | 6Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. |
| 7Like the legs which are useless to the lame, So is a proverb in the mouth of fools. | 7Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. |
| 8Like one who binds a stone in a sling, So is he who gives honor to a fool. | 8Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. |
| 9Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard, So is a proverb in the mouth of fools. | 9Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. |
| 10Like an archer who wounds everyone, So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by. | 10Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby. |
| 11Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly. | 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. |
| 12Do you see a man 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 sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square!" | 13The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!” |
| 14As the door turns on its hinges, So does the sluggard on his bed. | 14As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed. |
| 15The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again. | 15The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. |
| 16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can give a discreet answer. | 16The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly. |
| 17Like one who takes a dog by the ears Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him. | 17Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own. |
| 18Like a madman who throws Firebrands, arrows and death, | 18Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows, |
| 19So is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, "Was I not joking?" | 19so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” |
| 20For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. | 20Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases. |
| 21Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. | 21Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. |
| 22The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body. | 22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being. |
| 23Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross Are burning lips and a wicked heart. | 23Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart. |
| 24He who hates disguises it with his lips, But he lays up deceit in his heart. | 24A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. |
| 25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart. | 25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. |
| 26Though his hatred covers itself with guile, His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly. | 26Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. |
| 27He who digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him. | 27He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. |
| 28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, And a flattering mouth works ruin. | 28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. |
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