Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 Like snow in the summer or rain at harvest, so honor isn't appropriate for a fool.
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Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a darting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so an undeserved curse never arrives.
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Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 A whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.
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A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.
4 Don't answer fools according to their folly, or you will become like them yourself.
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Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.
5 Answer fools according to their folly, or they will deem themselves wise.
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Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 Sending messages with a fool is like cutting off one's feet or drinking down violence.
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Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 As legs dangle from a disabled person, so does a proverb in the mouth of fools.
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Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like tying a stone in a sling, so is giving respect to a fool.
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Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorny bush in the hand of a drunk, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
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Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds someone randomly, so is one who hires a fool or a passerby.
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Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats foolish mistakes.
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Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see people who consider themselves wise? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
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Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 A lazy person says, "There's a lion in the path! A lion in the plazas!"
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The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets! ”
14 As a door turns on its hinge, so do lazy people in their beds.
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As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 Lazy people bury their hand into the bowl, too tired to return it to their mouth.
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The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16 Lazy people think they are wiser than seven people who answer sensibly.
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The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 Like yanking the ears of a dog, so is one who passes by and gets involved in another person's fight.
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Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
18 Like a crazy person shooting deadly flaming arrows
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Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death
19 are those who deceive their neighbor and say, "Hey, I was only joking!"
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is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking! ”
20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossips, conflict calms down.
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For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
21 Like adding charcoal to embers or wood to fire, quarrelsome people kindle strife.
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As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 The words of gossips are like choice snacks; they go down to the inmost parts.
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The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 Smooth lips and an evil heart are like silver coating on clay.
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Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 Hateful people mislead with their lips, keeping their deception within.
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Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;
25 Though they speak graciously, don't believe them, for seven horrible things are in their heart.
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when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;
26 They may cover their hatred with trickery, but their evil will be revealed in public.
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though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Those who dig a pit will fall in it; those who roll a stone will have it turn back on them.
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Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes; a flattering mouth causes destruction.
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A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.