Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
New International Version NIV
1 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool.
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Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.
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Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools.
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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 a fool according to his foolishness, or you'll be like him yourself.
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Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his foolishness, or he'll become wise in his own eyes.
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Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 The one who sends a message by a fool's hand cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
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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 like lame legs that hang limp.
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Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Giving honor to a fool is like binding a stone in a sling.
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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 stick with thorns, brandished by the hand of a drunkard.
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Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 The one who hires a fool, or who hires those passing by, is like an archer who wounds everyone.
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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 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
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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 slacker says, "There's a lion in the road- a lion in the public square!"
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A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 A door turns on its hinge, and a slacker, on his bed.
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As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his 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 In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven men who can answer sensibly.
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A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 A passerby who meddles in a quarrel that's not his is like one who grabs a dog by the 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 Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,
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Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!"
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is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.
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Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
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As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being.
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The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
23 Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel.
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Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within.
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Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
25 When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
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Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly.
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Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone- it will come back on him.
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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 those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
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A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. 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.