Proverbs

26 As with snow in summer and with rain in harvest,

so importance is undesirable for a fool.

2* As with a sparrow in its wanderings, as with a swallow in its flight,

so with a groundless curse; it does not come in.

3 A whip for the pony, a bridle for the donkey,

and a cudgel for fools’ backs.

4* Do not answer a fool on his own foolish basis

for fear you yourself should come to his level.

5 Answer a fool on his own foolish basis

for fear he should think he was wise.

6* One who sends an errand by a fool

cuts off his own legs and drinks outrage.

7 A lame man’s legs

and a proverb in fools’ mouths

are thin and weak.

8 Like one who wraps up a stone in a piece of embroidery,

such is one who gives honor to a fool.

9 A brier gets into a drunken man’s hand

and a proverb into fools’ mouths.

10* Fool and drunkard are more in number than sand;

fool and drunkard are transient.

11* Like a dog going back to what it has vomited out

is a fool repeating his foolishness.

12 If you see a man who thinks he is wise,

there is more hope of a fool than of him.

13* An idler says “There is a panther on the road,

there is a lion between the squares.”

14 The door just turns on its hinges

and an idler on his bed.

15 If an idler has stuck his hand into the dish

he is too tired for bringing it back to his mouth.

16 An idler thinks he is wiser

than seven who can give an answer that makes sense.

17** A man mixing into a dispute that does not belong to him

is a man grabbing a passing dog by the tail.

18 Like an idiot throwing

firebrands, arrows, and death,

19* Such is a man who deceives another

and says “I was just joking, you know!”

20 Lacking wood, a fire goes out,

and without a scandalmonger quarrels calm down.

21 Charcoal for a charcoal fire and wood for a wood fire,

and a quarrelsome man to heat up a dispute.

22 A scandalmonger’s words are like the seeping of water,

and they run down into the deepest recesses of the body.

23 Glowing lips and a bad heart

are dross silver plated over earthenware.

24* A hater disguises himself with his lips,

but houses fraud within him;

25 When he makes his voice gracious do not trust him,

for he has seven abominations in his heart.

26 One who covers up hate with duplicity

will have his viciousness exposed in the assembly.

27 One who digs a pitfall will fall into it,

and one who rolls a stone will have it come back on him.

28* A false tongue hates its victims

and a smooth mouth knocks a man down.