Proverbs 26
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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 fluttering bird or like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause does not come to rest. 2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
3A whip for the horse and a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! 3Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back!
4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you yourself also be like him. 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 estimation. 5Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.
6Like cutting off the feet or drinking violence, so is sending a message by the hand of a fool. 6Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!
7Like legs that hang limp from the lame, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
8Like tying a stone in a sling, so is giving honor to a fool. 8Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 9A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.
10Like an archer who wounds at random, so is the one who hires a fool or hires any passer-by. 10An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random.
11Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.
12Do you see a man 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! 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!”
14Like a door that turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. 14As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.
15The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish; he is too lazy 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 estimation than seven people who respond with good sense. 16Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors.
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. 17Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
18Like a madman who shoots firebrands and deadly arrows, 18Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
19so is a person who deceives his neighbor, and says, "Was I not only joking?" 19is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”
20Where there is no wood, a fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, contention ceases. 20Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
21Like charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious person to kindle strife. 21A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
22The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into a person's innermost being. 22Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.
23Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. 23Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.
24The one who hates others disguises it with his lips, but he stores up deceit within him. 24People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you.
25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations within him. 25They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.
26Though his hatred may be concealed by deceit, his evil will be uncovered in the assembly. 26While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.
27The one who digs a pit will fall into it; the one who rolls a stone--it will come back on him. 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 those crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin. 28A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.
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Proverbs 25
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