Like snow in summer or arain in harvest,
so bhonor is cnot fitting for a fool.
2 Like aa sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
ba curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 aA whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and ba rod for the back of fools.
4 aAnswer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
5 aAnswer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be bwise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and adrinks 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 aone who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like aa 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.
11 Like aa dog that returns to his vomit
is ba fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is awise in his own eyes?
bThere is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 aThe 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 aThe sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is awiser in his own eyes
bthan 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 afirebrands, 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 awhisperer, bquarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is aa quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 aThe words of ba whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 aLike the bglaze 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 awhen he speaks graciously, believe him not,
for there are bseven abominations in his heart;
26 though his hatred be covered with deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 aWhoever 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.