Parallel
Proverbs 26
World English Bible British Edition · Berean Standard Bible
Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
Like a fluttering sparrow,
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
A whip is for the horse,
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
Don’t answer a fool according to his folly,
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
Like the legs of the lame that hang loose,
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
As one who binds a stone in a sling,
Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard,
Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
As an archer who wounds all,
Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
As a dog that returns to his vomit,
As a dog returns to its vomit (note: Cited in 2 Peter 2:22), so a fool repeats his folly.
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
As the door turns on its hinges,
As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish.
The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
Like one who grabs a dog’s ears
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
is the man who deceives his neighbour and says, “Am I not joking?”
so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
For lack of wood a fire goes out.
Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
As coals are to hot embers,
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels,
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
Like silver dross on an earthen vessel
Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning (note: Hebrew; LXX smooth) lips and a wicked heart.
A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
When his speech is charming, don’t believe him,
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
His malice may be concealed by deception,
Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it.
He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
A lying tongue hates those it hurts;
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.