Proverbs 26

New King James Version

² Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
So ^(B)a curse without cause shall not alight.

^3 (C)A whip for the horse,
A bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the fool’s back.
⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
^5 (D)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
⁶ He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
⁷ Like the legs of the lame that hang limp
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
⁸ Like one who binds a stone in a sling
Is he who gives honor to a fool.
⁹ Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
^10 [a]The great God who formed everything
Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
^11 (E)As a dog returns to his own vomit,
^(F)So a fool repeats his folly.
^12 (G)Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³ The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion is in the ^[b]streets!”
¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy man on his bed.
¹⁵ The ^(H)lazy man buries his hand in the ^[c]bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
¹⁶ The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly.

¹⁷ He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

¹⁸ Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
¹⁹ Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, ^(I)“I was only joking!”

²⁰ Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no ^[d]talebearer, strife ceases.
^21 (J)As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
²² The words of a ^[e]talebearer are like ^[f]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the ^[g]inmost body.

²³ Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.

²⁴ He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself;
^25 (K)When ^[h]he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart;
²⁶ Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.

^27 (L)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works ^(M)ruin.