Proverbs 26

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

2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

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

4 Do not answer fools according to their folly, or you will be a fool yourself.

5 Answer fools according to their folly, or they will be wise in their own eyes.

6 It is like cutting off one's foot and drinking down violence, to send a message by a fool.

7 The legs of a disabled person hang limp; so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8 It is like binding a stone in a sling to give honor to a fool.

9 Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard 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.

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

12 Do you see persons wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for fools than for them.

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

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

15 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish, and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.

16 The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem than seven who can answer discreetly.

17 Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.

18 Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,

19 so is one who deceives a neighbor and says, "I am only joking!"

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

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

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

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

24 An enemy dissembles in speaking while harboring deceit within;

25 when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it, for there are seven abominations concealed within;

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

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

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

Proverbs 26 Commentary

Chapter 26

Verse 1 Honour is out of season to those unworthy and unfit for it. Verse 2 . He that is cursed without cause, the curse shall do him no more harm than the bird that flies over his head. Verse 3 . Every creature must be dealt with according to its nature, but careless and profligate sinners never will be ruled by reason and persuasion. Man indeed is born like the wild ass's colt; but ( proverbs 26:4-5 ) remarks to the man, and address them to his conscience, so as may best end the debate. ( 6-9 ) . Fools are not fit to be trusted, nor to have any honour. Wise sayings, as a foolish man delivers and applies them, lose their usefulness. Verse 10 . This verse may either declare how the Lord, the Creator of all men, will deal with sinners according to their guilt, or, how the powerful among men should disgrace and punish the wicked. Verse 11 . The dog is a loathsome emblem of those sinners who return to their vices, ( Verse 12 ) . We see many a one who has some little sense, but is proud of it. This describes those who think their spiritual state to be good, when really it is very bad. Verse 13 . The slothful man hates every thing that requires care and labour. But it is foolish to frighten ourselves from real duties by fancied difficulties. This may be applied to a man slothful in the duties of religion. Verse 14 . Having seen the slothful man in fear of his work, here we find him in love with his ease. Bodily ease is the sad occasion of many spiritual diseases. He does not care to get forward with his business. Slothful professors turn thus. The world and the flesh are hinges on which they are hung; and though they move in a course of outward services, yet they are not the nearer to heaven. Verse 15 . The sluggard is now out of his bed, but he might have lain there, for any thing he is likely to bring to pass in his work. It is common for men who will not do their duty, to pretend they cannot. Those that are slothful in religion, will not be at the pains to feed their souls with the bread of life, nor to fetch in promised blessings by prayer. Verse 16 . He that takes pains in religion, knows he is working for a good Master, and that his labour shall not be in vain. Verse 17 . To make ourselves busy in other men's matters, is to ( proverbs 26:18-19 ) must repent in earnest, or his sin will be his ruin. ( 20-22 ) . Contention heats the spirit, and puts families and societies into a flame. And that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning by whisperers and backbiters. Verse 23 . A wicked heart disguising itself, is like a potsherd covered with the dross of silver. ( 24-26 ) . Always distrust when a man speaks fair unless you know him well. Satan, in his temptations, speaks fair, as he did to Eve; but it is madness to give credit to him. Verse 27 . What pains men take to do mischief to others! but it is digging a pit, it is rolling a stone, hard work; and they prepare mischief to themselves. Verse 28 . There are two sorts of lies equally detestable. A slandering lie, the mischief of this every body sees. A flattering lie, which secretly works ruin. A wise man will be more afraid of a flatterer than of a slanderer.

Footnotes

• [a]. Meaning of Heb uncertain
• [b]. Cn: Heb [silver of dross]
• [c]. Gk: Heb [burning]

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 13

In this chapter is an account of a man of God being sent to exclaim against Jeroboam's altar, and threaten its destruction, of which he gave a sign, which was accomplished, and with it the withering of the king's hand, which was healed upon the prophet's prayer for him, 1Ki 13:1-7, who would have entertained him at his house, but he refused the offer, and departed, 1Ki 13:8-10, but an old prophet in Bethel hearing of him, rode after him, and fetched him back to eat bread with him, through a lie he told him, 1Ki 13:11-19 upon which the word came to the old prophet, threatening the man of God with death for disobeying his command, and which was accordingly executed by a lion that met him in the way, and slew him, 1Ki 13:20-24, of which the old prophet being informed, went and took up his carcass, and buried it in his own sepulchre, where he charged his sons to bury him also when dead, believing that all the man of God had said would be fulfilled, 1Ki 13:25-30 and the chapter is closed with observing the continuance of Jeroboam in his idolatry, 1Ki 13:33,34.