1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,
honor does not befit a fool.
1Like the snow in the summer, and like the rain in the harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
2Like the sparrow in fluttering, like the swallow in flying, so a curse without cause does not come.
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the backs of fools!
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!
4Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be like him.
4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you be likened to him—even you.
5Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he become wise in his own eyes.
5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his eyes.
6Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence
is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
6Cutting off feet, drinking violence, is sending a message by the hand of fool.
7Like lame legs hanging limp
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
7Legs hanging limp from lameness is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8Like binding a stone into a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.
8Binding up a stone in a sling, so is giving honor to a fool.
9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
9A thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10Like an archer who wounds at random
is he who hires a fool or passerby.
10An archer piercing anything, so is hiring a fool or hiring those passing by.
11As a dog returns to its vomit,a
so a fool repeats his folly.
11Like a dog returning to its vomit is a fool repeating his folly.
12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
12Do you see a man wise in his eyes? Hope is for a fool more than him.
13The slacker says, “A lion is in the road!
A fierce lion roams the public square!”
13A lazy one says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion is in the broad places!”
14As a door turns on its hinges,
so the slacker turns on his bed.
14The door that turns about on its hinges, so is a lazy one upon his bed.
15The slacker buries his hand in the dish;
it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
15A lazy one hides his hand in the bowl; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16The slacker is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who answer discreetly.
16Wiser is a lazy one in his eyes, than seven returning a reason.
17Like one who grabs a dog by the ears
is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
17One grabbing hold on the ears of a dog passing by, is a passerby in a quarrel not unto him.
18Like a madman shooting firebrands
and deadly arrows,
18Like a madman shooting firebrands arrows, and death,
19so is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
19so is the man who has deceived his neighbor, and he says, “Am I not playing?”
20Without wood, a fire goes out;
without gossip, a conflict ceases.
20With the end of the wood, the fire is quenched, and without one whispering, strife quiets down.
21Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
21Charcoal to burning coals, and wood to a fire, so is a man of quarrels to kindle strife.
22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels
that go down into the inmost being.
22The words of one whispering are like morsels being swallowed, they even go down to the chambers of the belly.
23Like glaze covering an earthen vessel
are burninga lips and a wicked heart.
23Silver of dross laid over an earthen vessel are burning lips and a heart of evil.
24A hateful man disguises himself with his speech,
but he lays up deceit in his heart.
24With his lips the one hating disguises it, and within himself he places deceit.
25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him,
for seven abominations fill his heart.
25When his voice is favorable, you should not trust in him, for seven abominations are in his heart.
26Though his hatred is concealed by deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
26Hatred is concealed by deceit; his wickedness will be uncovered in the assembly.
27He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
27The one digging a pit, he will fall into it; and the one rolling a stone, to him it will return.
28A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
28A tongue of deceit hates its oppressed ones, and a smooth mouth causes ruin.