New International Reader's Version NIRV
New International Version NIV
1 It isn't proper to honor a foolish person. That's like having snow in summer or rain at harvest time.
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Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 A curse given for no reason is like a wandering bird or a flying sparrow. It doesn't go anywhere.
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Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip is for a horse. A harness is for a donkey. And a beating is for the backs of foolish people.
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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 foolish person in keeping with his foolish acts. If you do, you will 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 foolish person in keeping with his foolish acts. If you do, he won't be 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 Sending a message in the hand of a foolish person is like cutting off your feet or drinking something harmful.
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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 foolish person is like disabled legs that are useless.
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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 foolish person is like tying a stone in 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 foolish person is like a thorn in the hand of someone who is drunk.
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Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Anyone who hires a foolish person or someone who is passing by is like a person who shoots arrows at just anybody.
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Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 A foolish person who does the same foolish things again is like a dog that returns to where it has thrown up.
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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 foolish person 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 A person who doesn't want to work says, "There's a lion in the road! There's an angry lion wandering in the streets!"
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A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 A person who doesn't want to work turns over in bed just like a door that swings back and forth.
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As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 A person who doesn't want to work leaves his hand in the dish. He acts as if he is too tired to bring it back up 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 A person who doesn't want to work is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who give careful answers.
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A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 Don't get mixed up in someone else's fight as you are passing by. That's like picking a dog up by its 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 Suppose a crazy person shoots flaming arrows that can kill.
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Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
19 A man who lies to his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!" is just like that person.
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is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 If you don't have wood, your fire goes out. If you don't talk about others, arguing dies down.
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Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 Coal glows. Wood burns. And a man who argues stirs up fights.
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As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 The words of anyone who talks about others are like tasty bites of food. They go deep down inside you.
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The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
23 Warm words that come from an evil heart are like shiny paint on a clay pot.
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Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 Someone who wants to hurt you uses his words to hide his hatred. But his heart is full of lies that cover up his evil plans.
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Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
25 What a person says can be charming. But don't believe him. Seven things that God hates can fill that person's heart.
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Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
26 Hatred can be hidden by lies. But what is evil will be shown to everyone.
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Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 If anyone digs a pit, he will fall into it. If he rolls a big stone, it will roll 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 tongue that tells lies hates the people it hurts. And words that seem to praise you destroy you.
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A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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.