oCited 2 Pet. 2:22
Proverbs 26
1Like snow in summer or arain in harvest,so bhonor is cnot fitting for a fool.
2Like da sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
ea curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 fA whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and ga rod for the back of fools.
4 hAnswer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
5 iAnswer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be jwise in his own eyes.
6Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and kdrinks violence.
7Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is lone who gives honor to a fool.
9Like ma thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10Like an archer who wounds everyone
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard. ▼
▼Or hires a fool or passersby
11Like oa dog that returns to his vomit
is pa fool who repeats his folly.
12Do you see a man who is qwise in his own eyes?
rThere is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 sThe sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”
14As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 tThe sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16The sluggard is uwiser in his own eyes
vthan seven men who can answer sensibly.
17Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
18Like a madman who throws wfirebrands, arrows, and death
19is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I am only joking!”
20For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no xwhisperer, yquarreling ceases.
21As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is za quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 aaThe words of aba whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 acLike the adglaze ▼
▼By revocalization; Hebrew silver of dross
covering an earthen vesselare fervent lips with an evil heart.
24Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
and harbors deceit in his heart;
25 afwhen he speaks graciously, believe him not,
for there are agseven abominations in his heart;
26though his hatred be covered with deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 ahWhoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
28A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Copyright information for
ESV