New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest.
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Like snow in the summer or rain at harvest, so honor isn't appropriate for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
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Like a darting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so an undeserved curse never arrives.
3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back!
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A whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.
4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.
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Don't answer fools according to their folly, or you will become like them yourself.
5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.
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Answer fools according to their folly, or they will deem themselves wise.
6 Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!
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Sending messages with a fool is like cutting off one's feet or drinking down violence.
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
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As legs dangle from a disabled person, so does a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
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Like tying a stone in a sling, so is giving respect to a fool.
9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.
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Like a thorny bush in the hand of a drunk, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random.
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Like an archer who wounds someone randomly, so is one who hires a fool or a passerby.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.
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Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats foolish mistakes.
12 There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.
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Do you see people who consider themselves wise? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
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A lazy person says, "There's a lion in the path! A lion in the plazas!"
14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.
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As a door turns on its hinge, so do lazy people in their beds.
15 Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
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Lazy people bury their hand into the bowl, too tired to return it to their mouth.
16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors.
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Lazy people think they are wiser than seven people who answer sensibly.
17 Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
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Like yanking the ears of a dog, so is one who passes by and gets involved in another person's fight.
18 Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
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Like a crazy person shooting deadly flaming arrows
19 is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”
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are those who deceive their neighbor and say, "Hey, I was only joking!"
20 Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
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Without wood a fire goes out; without gossips, conflict calms down.
21 A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
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Like adding charcoal to embers or wood to fire, quarrelsome people kindle strife.
22 Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.
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The words of gossips are like choice snacks; they go down to the inmost parts.
23 Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.
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Smooth lips and an evil heart are like silver coating on clay.
24 People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you.
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Hateful people mislead with their lips, keeping their deception within.
25 They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.
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Though they speak graciously, don't believe them, for seven horrible things are in their heart.
26 While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.
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They may cover their hatred with trickery, but their evil will be revealed in public.
27 If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead.
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Those who dig a pit will fall in it; those who roll a stone will have it turn back on them.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.
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A lying tongue hates those it crushes; a flattering mouth causes destruction.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible