New International Version NIV
New Century Version NCV
1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.
1
It shouldn't snow in summer or rain at harvest. Neither should a foolish person ever be honored.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
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Curses will not harm someone who is innocent; they are like sparrows or swallows that fly around and never land.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
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Whips are for horses, and harnesses are for donkeys, so paddles are good for fools.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
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Don't give fools a foolish answer, or you will be just like them.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
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But answer fools as they should be answered, or they will think they are really wise.
6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
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Sending a message by a foolish person is like cutting off your feet or drinking poison.
7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
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A wise saying spoken by a fool is as useless as the legs of a crippled person.
8 Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
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Giving honor to a foolish person is like tying a stone in a slingshot.
9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
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A wise saying spoken by a fool is like a thorn stuck in the hand of a drunk.
10 Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
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Hiring a foolish person or anyone just passing by is like an archer shooting at just anything.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
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A fool who repeats his foolishness is like a dog that goes back to what it has thrown up.
12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
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There is more hope for a foolish person than for those who think they are wise.
13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
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The lazy person says, "There's a lion in the road! There's a lion in the streets!"
14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
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Like a door turning back and forth on its hinges, the lazy person turns over and over in bed.
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
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Lazy people may put their hands in the dish, but they are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
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The lazy person thinks he is wiser than seven people who give sensible answers.
17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
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Interfering in someone else's quarrel as you pass by is like grabbing a dog by the ears.
18 Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
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Like a madman shooting deadly, burning arrows
19 is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
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is the one who tricks a neighbor and then says, "I was just joking."
20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
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Without wood, a fire will go out, and without gossip, quarreling will stop.
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
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Just as charcoal and wood keep a fire going, a quarrelsome person keeps an argument going.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
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The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food; people like to gobble them up.
23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
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Kind words from a wicked mind are like a shiny coating on a clay pot.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
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Those who hate you may try to fool you with their words, but in their minds they are planning evil.
25 Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
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People's words may be kind, but don't believe them, because their minds are full of evil thoughts.
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
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Lies can hide hate, but the evil will be plain to everyone.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
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Whoever digs a pit for others will fall into it. Whoever tries to roll a boulder down on others will be crushed by it.
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
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Liars hate the people they hurt, and false praise can ruin others.
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.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.