Psalm 26

New International Version

Psalm 26

Of David.

¹Vindicate me,^(A) Lord,
    for I have led a blameless life;^(B)
I have trusted^(C) in the Lord
    and have not faltered.^(D)
²Test me,^(E) Lord, and try me,
    examine my heart and my mind;^(F)
³for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love^(G)
    and have lived^(H) in reliance on your faithfulness.^(I)

⁴I do not sit^(J) with the deceitful,
    nor do I associate with hypocrites.^(K)
⁵I abhor^(L) the assembly of evildoers
    and refuse to sit with the wicked.
⁶I wash my hands in innocence,^(M)
    and go about your altar, Lord,
⁷proclaiming aloud your praise^(N)
    and telling of all your wonderful deeds.^(O)

⁸Lord, I love^(P) the house where you live,
    the place where your glory dwells.^(Q)
⁹Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
    my life with those who are bloodthirsty,^(R)
¹⁰in whose hands are wicked schemes,^(S)
    whose right hands are full of bribes.^(T)
¹¹I lead a blameless life;
    deliver me^(U) and be merciful to me.

¹²My feet stand on level ground;^(V)
in the great congregation^(W) I will praise the Lord.

Proverbs 26

New International Version

26 Like snow in summer or rain^(A) in harvest,
    honor is not fitting for a fool.^(B)
²Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse does not come to rest.^(C)
³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,^(D)
    and a rod for the backs of fools!^(E)
⁴Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
    or you yourself will be just like him.^(F)
⁵Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or he will be wise in his own eyes.^(G)
⁶Sending a message by the hands of a fool^(H)
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
⁷Like the useless legs of one who is lame
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.^(I)
⁸Like tying a stone in a sling
    is the giving of honor to a fool.^(J)
⁹Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.^(K)
¹⁰Like an archer who wounds at random
    is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
¹¹As a dog returns to its vomit,^(L)
    so fools repeat their folly.^(M)
¹²Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?^(N)
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.^(O)

¹³A sluggard says,^(P) “There’s a lion in the road,
    a fierce lion roaming the streets!”^(Q)
¹⁴As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed.^(R)
¹⁵A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.^(S)
¹⁶A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
    than seven people who answer discreetly.

¹⁷Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

¹⁸Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
¹⁹is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

²⁰Without wood a fire goes out;
    without a gossip a quarrel dies down.^(T)
²¹As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.^(U)
²²The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.^(V)

²³Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent^[a] lips with an evil heart.
²⁴Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,^(W)
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.^(X)
²⁵Though their speech is charming,^(Y) do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.^(Z)
²⁶Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
²⁷Whoever digs a pit^(AA) will fall into it;^(AB)
    if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.^(AC)
²⁸A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth^(AD) works ruin.