New American Standard Bible NAS
New International Version NIV
1 Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool.
1
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, So a curse without cause does not alight.
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Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip is 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 backs of fools!
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him.
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Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes.
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Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.
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Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
7 Like the legs which are useless to the lame, So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
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Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling, So is he who gives honor to a fool.
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Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard, So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
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Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone, So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
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Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly.
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As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
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Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square!"
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A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges, So does the sluggard on his bed.
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As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.
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A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can give a discreet answer.
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A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.
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Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
18 Like a madman who throws Firebrands, arrows and death,
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Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
19 So is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, "Was I not joking?"
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is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.
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Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
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As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
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The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
23 Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
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Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 He who hates disguises it with his lips, But he lays up deceit in his heart.
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Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart.
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Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
26 Though his hatred covers itself with guile, His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
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Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 He who digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
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Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, And a flattering mouth works ruin.
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A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.