PROVERBS 26 Like snow in summer or  u rain in harvest,

so  v honor is  w not fitting for a fool.

2[†] Like  x a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,

 y a curse that is causeless does not alight.

3[^]  z A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and  a a rod for the back of fools.

4[†]  b Answer not a fool according to his folly,

lest you be like him yourself.

5  c Answer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be  d wise in his own eyes.

6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and  e drinks violence.

7 Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8[†] Like one who binds the stone in the sling

is  f one who gives honor to a fool.

9[†] Like  g a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 Like an archer who wounds everyone

is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard. [1]

11[^][†] Like  h a dog that returns to his vomit

is  i a fool who repeats his folly.

12[†] Do you see a man who is  j wise in his own eyes?

 k There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13[^][†]  l The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!

There is a lion in the streets!”

14 As a door turns on its hinges,

so does a sluggard on his bed.

15  m The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

16 The sluggard is  j wiser in his own eyes

 n than seven men who can answer sensibly.

17[†] Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own

is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

18 Like a madman who throws  o firebrands, arrows, and death

19 is the man who deceives his neighbor

and says, “I am only joking!”

20[^] For lack of wood the fire goes out,

and where there is no  p whisperer,  q quarreling ceases.

21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

so is  r a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

22  s The words of  p a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23[†]  t Like the  u glaze [2] covering an earthen vessel

are fervent lips with an evil heart.

24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips

and harbors deceit in his heart;

25  v when he speaks graciously, believe him not,

for there are  w seven abominations in his heart;

26 though his hatred be covered with deception,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27[†]  x Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,

and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

28 A lying tongue hates its victims,

and a flattering mouth works ruin.