New International Version NIV
Orthodox Jewish Bible OJB
1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.
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6 As sheleg (snow) in kayitz (summer), and as matar (rain) at katzir (harvest), so kavod is not fitting for a kesil (fool).
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
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As the tzippor in its fluttering, as the swallow in its flying, so the kelelah (curse) without cause shall not alight.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
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A shot (whip) for the sus, a bridle for the chamor, and a shevet for the back of kesilim.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
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Answer not a kesil (fool) according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
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Answer a kesil (fool) according to his folly, lest he be chacham in his own eyes.
6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
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He that sendeth a message by the yad of a kesil (fool) cutteth off the raglayim, and drinketh chamas.
7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
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The legs of the pisei’ach (lame man) hang limp; so is a mashal in the peh (mouth) of kesilim.
8 Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
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As he that bindeth an even (stone) in a sling, so is he that giveth kavod to a kesil (fool).
9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
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As a thornbush goeth up into the yad of a shikkor, so is a mashal in the peh (mouth) of kesilim.
10 Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
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Like an archer wounding all, so is he that hireth the kesil (fool), or hireth the passerby.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
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As a kelev returneth to his vomit, so a kesil (fool) returneth to his folly.
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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Seest thou an ish chacham in his own eyes? There is more tikvah (hope) for a kesil (fool) than for him.
13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
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The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) saith, There is a lion in the derech; an ari is in the rechovot.
14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
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As the delet (door) turneth upon its hinges, so doth the atzel (sluggard, lazy one) upon his mittah (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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The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) hideth his yad in his dish; it’s too tiring to bring it back to his peh (mouth) again.
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
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The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) is chacham in his own eyes, more than seven that give an excellent answer.
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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He that passeth by, and meddleth in a quarrel that doth not belong to him, is like one that taketh a kelev by the oznayim.
18 Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
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As a mad man who shooteth firebrands, khitzim (arrows), and mavet,
19 is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
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So is the ish that deceiveth his re’a, and saith, Am I not just having a laugh?
20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
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Where no wood is, there the eish goeth out; so where there is no nirgan (gossip, slanderer, talebearer), the strife dieth down.
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
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As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to eish; so is a contentious ish to kindle strife.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
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The devarim of a nirgan (gossip, slanderer, talebearer) are like tasty morsels, and they go down into the innermost chambers of the beten.
23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
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Fervent sfatayim (lips) and a lev rah are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
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He that hateth disguises it with his sfatayim (lips), and within harboreth mirmah (deceit);
25 Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
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When he speaketh fair, believe him not; for there are sheva to’avot in his lev.
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
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Whose hatred is covered by guile, yet his wickedness shall be exposed before the whole kahal.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
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He who diggeth a shachat (pit) shall fall therein, and he that rolleth an even (stone), it will roll back upon him.
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
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A lashon sheker hateth those that are crushed by it; and a flattering peh (mouth) worketh ruin.
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.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.