Proverbs 26

Revised Geneva Translation

26 As snow in summer and as rain at harvest, so is honor unseemly for a fool.

² As the sparrow by wandering and the swallow by flying, so shall the causeless curse not come.

³ To the horse belongs a whip, to the ass a bridle, and to the fool’s back a rod.

⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.

⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

⁶ He who sends a message by the hand of a fool, is as he who cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

⁷ As the legs of the lame are weak, so is a proverb in a fool’s mouth.

⁸ As the binding up of a stone in a sling is he who gives glory to a fool.

⁹ As a thorn goes up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰ The Great God, Who formed all things, both gives the fool his hire and passes over the transgressors.

¹¹ As a dog turns again to his own vomit, so a fool turns to his folly.

¹² Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³ The slothful says, “A lion is in the road. A lion is in the streets.”

¹⁴ As the door turns upon its hinges, so does the slothful man upon his bed.

¹⁵ The slothful hides his hand in the dish, and it grieves him to put it to his mouth again.

¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven who can render a reason.

¹⁷ He who passes by and meddles in others’ quarrels, is as one who takes a dog by the ears.

¹⁸ As a madman who casts firebrands, arrows, and death,

¹⁹ is a man’s deception of his friend when he says, “I was only kidding!”

²⁰ Without wood, the fire is quenched. And without a gossip, strife ceases.

²¹ As coal makes burning embers, and wood a fire, so the contentious man kindles strife.

²² The words of a gossip are as tasty morsels. And they descend into the bowels of the belly.

²³ As silver overlaid upon an earthen vessel are burning lips and an evil heart.

²⁴ He who hates will disguise it with his lips. But in his heart, he lays up deceit.

²⁵ Though he speaks favorably, do not believe him. For there are seven abominations in his heart.

²⁶ His hatred may be covered by deceit, but his malice shall be discovered in the congregation.

²⁷ He who digs a pit shall fall therein. And he who rolls a stone shall have it roll back on him.

²⁸ A false tongue hates the afflicted. And a flattering mouth causes ruin.