New Revised Standard NRS
New International Version NIV
9 Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
9
Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Like an archer who wounds everybody is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
10
Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who reverts to his folly.
11
As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
12 Do you see persons wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for fools than for them.
12
Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
13 The lazy person says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!"
13
A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a lazy person in bed.
14
As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish, and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.
15
A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem than seven who can answer discreetly.
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A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.
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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 Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,
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Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
19 so is one who deceives a neighbor and says, "I am only joking!"
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is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. 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.