26:1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
26:1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

26:2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.
26:2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

26:3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.
26:3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.
26:4 Do not answer fools according to their folly, or you will be a fool yourself.

26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
26:5 Answer fools according to their folly, or they will be wise in their own eyes.

26:6 He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
26:6 It is like cutting off one's foot and drinking down violence, to send a message by a fool.

26:7 Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
26:7 The legs of a disabled person hang limp; so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

26:8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling is he who gives honor to a fool.
26:8 It is like binding a stone in a sling to give honor to a fool.

26:9 Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
26:9 Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

26:10 Like an archer who wounds everybody is he who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
26:10 Like an archer who wounds everybody is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

26:11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool that repeats his folly.
26:11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who reverts to his folly.

26:12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
26:12 Do you see persons wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for fools than for them.

26:13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!"
26:13 The lazy person says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!"

26:14 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.
26:14 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a lazy person in bed.

26:15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
26:15 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish, and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.

26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer discreetly.
26:16 The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem than seven who can answer discreetly.

26:17 He who meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
26:17 Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.

26:18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
26:18 Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,

26:19 is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I am only joking!"
26:19 so is one who deceives a neighbor and says, "I am only joking!"

26:20 For lack of wood the fire goes out; and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
26:20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

26:21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
26:21 As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

26:22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
26:22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

26:23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart.
26:23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart.

26:24 He who hates, dissembles with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;
26:24 An enemy dissembles in speaking while harboring deceit within;

26:25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;
26:25 when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it, for there are seven abominations concealed within;

26:26 though his hatred be covered with guile, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
26:26 though hatred is covered with guile, the enemy's wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

26:27 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back upon him who starts it rolling.
26:27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.

26:28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
26:28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.