Provérbios 26

1 Like snow in summer or *[1 Sam. 12:17] rain in harvest,

so *[ver. 8] honor is *ch. 17:7;19:10not fitting for a fool.

2 Like *ch. 27:8;Ps. 84:3a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,

*[Num. 23:8;Deut. 23:5;2 Sam. 16:12]a curse that is causeless does not alight.

3 *[Ps. 32:9] A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and *See ch. 19:29a rod for the back of fools.

4 *[2 Sam. 16:11;2 Kgs. 18:36;Luke 23:9]Answer not a fool according to his folly,

lest you be like him yourself.

5 *See Matt. 16:1-4;21:24-27Answer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be *ch. 28:11;[Rom. 12:16]wise in his own eyes.

6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and *[ch. 13:2;Job 15:16]drinks violence.

7 Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling

is *[ver. 1]one who gives honor to a fool.

9 Like *[ch. 23:35]a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 Like an archer who wounds everyone

is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.*26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby

11 Like *Cited 2 Pet. 2:22a dog that returns to his vomit

is *[Ex. 8:15]a fool who repeats his folly.

12 Do you see a man who is *ch. 28:11;[Rom. 12:16] wise in his own eyes?

*ch. 29:20There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13 *ch. 22:13The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road!

There is a lion in the streets!"

14 As a door turns on its hinges,

so does a sluggard on his bed.

15 *ch. 19:24The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

16 The sluggard is *[See ver. 12above] wiser in his own eyes

*[ver. 25; ch. 6:16]; See Job 5:19than seven men who can answer sensibly.

17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own

is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

18 Like a madman who throws *[Isa. 50:11]firebrands, arrows, and death

19 is the man who deceives his neighbor

and says, "I am only joking!"

20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,

and where there is no *ch. 16:28whisperer, *ch. 22:10quarreling ceases.

21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

so is *See ch. 15:18a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

22 *ch. 18:8The words of *[See ver. 20above]a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23 *[Matt. 23:27;Luke 11:39] Like the *See ch. 25:4glaze*26:23 By revocalization; Hebrew silver of dross covering an earthen vessel

are fervent lips with an evil heart.

24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips

and harbors deceit in his heart;

25 *See Ps. 28:3when he speaks graciously, believe him not,

for there are *[ver. 16]seven abominations in his heart;

26 though his hatred be covered with deception,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27 *[ch. 28:10]; See Ps. 7:15Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,

and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

28 A lying tongue hates its victims,

and a flattering mouth works ruin.