Revised Standard Version RSV
New International Version NIV
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, 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.
2
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, 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 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.
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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 according to his folly, lest he 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 who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
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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 a lame man's legs, which hang useless, 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 the stone in the sling 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 that goes up into the hand of a drunkard 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 everybody is he who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
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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 his vomit is a fool that 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 who is 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! There is a lion in the streets!"
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A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming 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 a sluggard turns on his 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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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 answer discreetly.
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A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 He who meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
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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 is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I am only 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, quarreling ceases.
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Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling 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 delicious morsels; they go down into the inner 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 the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart.
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Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 He who hates, dissembles with his lips and harbors 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, believe him not, 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 be covered with guile, his wickedness will be exposed in 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 a stone will come back upon him who starts it rolling.
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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 its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
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A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the 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.
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.