Proverbs 26

1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,

so a fool does not deserve honor.

2As the sparrow flitters and the swallow darts when they fly,

so an undeserved curse does not alight.

3A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey

and a rod is for the back of fools.

4Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

or you will become like him.

5Answer a fool and join in on his folly,

so he will not become wise in his own eyes.

6Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

7Like the legs of a paralytic which hang down

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8Like tying a stone in a sling

is giving honor to a fool.

9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10Like an archer who wounds all those around him

is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.

11As a dog returns to his own vomit,

so is a fool who repeats his folly.

12Do you see someone who is wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13The lazy person says, “There is a lion on the road!

There is a lion between the open places!”

14As the door turns on its hinges,

so is the lazy person upon his bed.

15The lazy person puts his hand into the dish

and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.

16The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes

than seven men who respond with good judgment.

17Like one who takes hold of the ears of a dog,

is a passerby who becomes angry at a dispute that is not his own.

18Like a madman who shoots burning arrows,

19is the one who deceives his neighbor

and says, “Was I not telling a joke?”

20For lack of wood, the fire goes out;

and where there is no gossiper quarreling ceases.

21As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

22The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23Like the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel

so are burning lips and an evil heart.

24One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips

and he lays up deceit within himself.

25He will speak graciously, but do not believe him,

for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26Though his hatred is covered with deception,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it

and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.

28A lying tongue hates the people it crushes

and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.