English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
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, a curse that is causeless does not alight.
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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 the horse, a bridle for the 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 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.
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Do not answer fools according to their folly, or you will be a fool yourself.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
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Answer fools according to their folly, or they will be wise in their own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks 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 Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is 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 one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor 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 thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard 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 everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
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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 his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.
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Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who reverts to his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
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Do you see persons wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for fools than for them.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets! ”
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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 hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.
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As a door turns on its hinges, so does a lazy person in bed.
15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his 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 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.
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The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem than seven who can answer discreetly.
17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
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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 madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death
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Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking! ”
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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.
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For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling 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 a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
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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 fervent lips with an evil heart.
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Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart.
24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;
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An enemy dissembles in speaking while harboring deceit within;
25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;
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when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it, for there are seven abominations concealed within;
26 though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
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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 him who starts it rolling.
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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 its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
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A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
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.