Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Like snow in the summer or rain at harvest, so honor isn't appropriate for a fool.
1
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, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.
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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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 deem themselves wise.
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Answer fools according to their folly, or they will be wise in their own eyes.
6 Sending messages with a fool is like cutting off one's feet or drinking down violence.
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It is like cutting off one's foot and drinking down violence, to send a message by a fool.
7 As legs dangle from a disabled person, so does a proverb in the mouth of fools.
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The legs of a disabled person hang limp; so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Like tying a stone in a sling, so is giving respect to a fool.
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It is like binding a stone in a sling to give 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 thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
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 everybody 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 its vomit is a fool who reverts to 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 persons wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for fools than for them.
13 A lazy person says, "There's a lion in the path! A lion in the plazas!"
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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 hinge, so do lazy people in their beds.
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As a door turns on its hinges, so does a lazy person in bed.
15 Lazy people bury their hand into the bowl, too tired to return it to their mouth.
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The lazy person buries a hand in the dish, and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.
16 Lazy people think they are wiser than seven people who answer sensibly.
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The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem than seven who can answer discreetly.
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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Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.
18 Like a crazy person shooting deadly flaming arrows
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Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,
19 are those who deceive their neighbor and say, "Hey, I was only joking!"
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so is one who deceives a 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 is to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person 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 smooth lips with an evil heart.
24 Hateful people mislead with their lips, keeping their deception within.
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An enemy dissembles in speaking while harboring deceit within;
25 Though they speak graciously, don't believe them, for seven horrible things are in their heart.
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when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it, for there are seven abominations concealed within;
26 They may cover their hatred with trickery, but their evil will be revealed in public.
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though hatred is covered with guile, the enemy's 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 the one 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.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.