Wycliffe WYC
King James Version KJV
1 As snow in summer, and rain in harvest; so glory is unseemly to a fool. (Like snow in summer, and rain at harvest; so glory is unbecoming to a fool.)
1
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
2 For as a bird flying over to high things, and as a sparrow going into uncertain; so cursing brought forth without reasonable cause shall come above into some man. (Like a bird flying over to high places, and like a sparrow going into uncertainty; so cursing brought forth without a reasonable cause, shall simply go over someone, and not touch them.)
2
As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
3 Beating be to an horse, and a bridle to an ass; and a rod to the back of unprudent men.
3
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
4 Answer thou not to a fool after his folly, lest thou be made like him.
4
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer thou (to) a fool after his folly, lest he seem to himself to be wise (lest he thinketh himself to be wise).
5
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 (As) An halting man in feet, and drinking wickedness, that is, drink harmful to himself, (is) he that sendeth words by a fond messenger. (Like a person who is lame, and like someone who drinketh a drink that is harmful to himself, is he who sendeth words by a foolish messenger.)
6
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
7 As an halting man hath fair legs in vain; so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.
7
The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As he that sendeth a stone into the broad place of the sling; so he that giveth honour to an unwise man. (Like he who sendeth a stone into the broad place of a sling, is he who giveth honour to an unwise person.)
8
As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
9 As if a thorn groweth in the hand of a drunken man; so is a parable in the mouth of fools. (Like a thorn that groweth in the hand of a drunk, is a parable in the mouth of a fool.)
9
As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 Doom determineth causes; and he that setteth silence to a fool, assuageth ires. (Judgement decideth a person's case; and he who telleth a fool to be silent, lesseneth anger.)
10
The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
11 As a dog that turneth again to his spewing [As an hound that turneth again to his vomit]; so is an unprudent man, that rehearseth his folly. (Like a dog that returneth to his vomit, is an imprudent person, who repeateth his own foolishness.)
11
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
12 Thou hast seen a man seem wise to himself; an unknowing man shall have hope more than he. (Thou hast seen a person who taketh himself to be wise; but a person without knowledge, yea, a fool, shall have more hope than him.)
12
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 A slow man saith, A lion is in the way, a lioness is in the footpaths. (A lazy person saith, A lion is there on the way, a lioness is there on the footpaths!)
13
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 As a door is turned in his hinges; so a slow man in his bed. (Like a door turning on its hinges, is a lazy person turning in his bed.)
14
As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 A slow man hideth his hands under his armpit; and he travaileth, if he turneth them up to his mouth. (A lazy person hideth his hands under his armpit; and he laboureth, if he turneth them up to his mouth.)
15
The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 A slow man seemeth wiser to himself, than seven men speaking sentences. (A lazy person seemeth wiser to himself, than seven people speaking forth their thoughts.)
16
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
17 As he that taketh a dog by the ears; so he that passeth, and is unpatient, and is meddled with the chiding of another man. (Like he who taketh a dog by the ears, is he who passeth by, and is impatient, and is mixed in, or mingled, with the argument of another man.)
17
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As he is guilty, that sendeth spears and arrows into death, (Like he is guilty, who sendeth spears and arrows into uncertainty, causing death,)
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As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 so a man that harmeth guilefully his friend, and when he is taken, he shall say, I did playing. (is a person who deceitfully harmeth his friend, and when he is caught, he saith, I was just playing.)
19
So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
20 When trees fail [When woods shall fail], the fire shall be quenched; and when a privy backbiter is withdrawn, strives rest. (When there is no more wood, the fire shall be quenched; and when a gossip departeth, or stoppeth speaking, the argument shall be ended.)
20
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 As dead coals at quick coals, and trees at the fire [As dead coals to quick coals, and wood to fire]; so a wrathful man (that) raiseth chidings. (Like dead coals to burning coals, and wood to fire, is an angry person who raiseth up arguments, or strife.)
21
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a privy backbiter be as simple (The words of a gossip be tasty); and those come till to the innerest things of the heart.
22
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 As if thou wouldest adorn a vessel of earth, (that is, a cheap pot made out of clay,) with the dross of silver, so be swelling lips fellowshipped with a full wicked heart.
23
Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 An enemy is understood by his lips, when he treateth guiles in his heart. (An enemy can be understood by his words, when he treateth deceitfulness in his heart.)
24
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
25 When he maketh low his voice, believe thou not to him; for seven wickednesses be in his heart.
25
When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 The malice of him that covereth hatred guilefully, shall be showed in a council. (The malice of one who deceitfully covereth hatred, shall be shown before the assembly.)
26
Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
27 He that delveth a ditch, shall fall into it; and if a man walloweth a stone, it shall turn again (on)to him.
27
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
28 A false tongue loveth not [the] truth; and a slippery mouth worketh fallings.
28
A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.
The King James Version is in the public domain.