1 Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish.
2 As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.
3 A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.
4 Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.
5 Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.
6 He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.
7 The legs of one who has no power of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the foolish.
8 Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a stone fixed in a cord.
9 Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.
10 Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink.
11 Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.
12 Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.
13 The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed.
15 The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.
16 The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.
17 He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.
18 As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death,
19 So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport?
20 Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
21 Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
22 The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
23 Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
24 With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;
25 When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils:
26 Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people.
27 He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.
28 A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling.
1 夏天落雪， 收割时下雨， 都不合宜； 照样， 愚昧人获得尊荣， 也不合宜。
2 麻雀怎样飞来飞去， 燕子怎样翻飞； 照样， 无故的咒诅也不会临到人。
3 鞭子是为了打马， 嚼环是为了勒驴； 刑杖是为了打愚昧人的背。
4 不要照着愚昧人的愚妄回答他， 免得你像他一样。
5 要照着愚昧人的愚妄回答他， 免得他自以为有智慧。
6 借愚昧人的手传递信息的， 是自断己足， 自寻烦恼。
7 箴言在愚昧人口中， 就像瘸子的腿， 虚悬无用。
8 把荣耀给愚昧人的， 就像人把石子系在投石器上。
9 箴言在愚昧人口中， 就像荆棘在醉汉手里。
10 雇用愚昧人和过路人的， 就像胡乱射伤众人的弓箭手。
11 愚昧人一再重复他的愚妄， 正像狗转过来， 吃自己所吐的。
12 你见过自以为有智慧的人吗？愚昧人比他更有指望。
13 懒惰人说： "路上有狮子， 广场上也有狮子。"
14 懒惰人在床上翻动， 就像门绕着门铰转动一样。
15 懒惰人把手放在盘子里， 连拿食物送回口边也觉得劳累。
16 懒惰人看自己， 比七个善于应对的人更有智慧。
17 过路的人被激怒， 去干涉与自己无关的争执， 就像人揪住狗的耳朵。
18 人欺骗了邻舍， 却说： "我不过是开玩笑罢了。"他就像疯狂的人， 投掷火把、利箭和杀人的武器。
20 没有柴， 火就熄灭； 没有搬弄是非的人， 纷争就平息。
21 好争竞的人， 煽动争端， 就像余烬上加炭， 火上加柴一样。
22 搬弄是非的人的言语如同美食； 深入人的脏腑。
23 嘴唇火热， 心却奸恶， 就像包上银渣的瓦器。
24 憎恶人的用话语掩饰自己， 心里却存着诡诈。
25 他的话语虽然动听， 你不可信他， 因为他心里有七样可厌恶的事。
26 他的怨恨虽然以诡诈掩饰， 但他的邪恶必在大会中显露出来。
27 挖掘陷坑的， 自己必掉在其中； 辊石头的， 石头必辊回自己身上。
28 虚谎的舌头憎恶被它伤害的人； 谄媚的口造成败坏。