ESV 1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. NIV 1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool. ESV 2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight. NIV 2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. ESV 3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools. NIV 3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! ESV 4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. NIV 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. ESV 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. NIV 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. ESV 6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. NIV 6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison. ESV 7 Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools. NIV 7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. ESV 8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool. NIV 8 Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. ESV 9 Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools. NIV 9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. ESV 10 Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard. NIV 10 Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. ESV 11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. NIV 11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. ESV 12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. NIV 12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them. ESV 13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!" NIV 13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!” ESV 14 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. NIV 14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. ESV 15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. NIV 15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. ESV 16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. NIV 16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly. ESV 17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears. NIV 17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own. ESV 18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death NIV 18 Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death ESV 19 is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I am only joking!" NIV 19 is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” ESV 20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. NIV 20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. ESV 21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. NIV 21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. ESV 22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. NIV 22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. ESV 23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart. NIV 23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. ESV 24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; NIV 24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. ESV 25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; NIV 25 Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. ESV 26 though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. NIV 26 Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. ESV 27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. NIV 27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them. ESV 28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. NIV 28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
NIV 1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool. NIV 2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. NIV 3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! NIV 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. NIV 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. NIV 6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison. NIV 7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. NIV 8 Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. NIV 9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. NIV 10 Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. NIV 11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. NIV 12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them. NIV 13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!” NIV 14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. NIV 15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. NIV 16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly. NIV 17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own. NIV 18 Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death NIV 19 is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” NIV 20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. NIV 21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. NIV 22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. NIV 23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. NIV 24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. NIV 25 Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. NIV 26 Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. NIV 27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them. NIV 28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.