New Living Translation NLT
New International Version NIV
1 Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest.
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Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
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Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back!
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A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.
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Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.
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Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!
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Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
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Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
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Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.
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Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random.
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Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.
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As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
12 There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.
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Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
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A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.
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As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
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A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors.
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A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
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Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
18 Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
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Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
19 is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”
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is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
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Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
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As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.
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The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
23 Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.
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Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you.
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Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
25 They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.
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Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
26 While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.
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Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead.
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Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.
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A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.