Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool.

1Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest.

2Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.

3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools.

3Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back!

4Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness or you'll be like him yourself.

4Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.

5Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he'll become wise in his own eyes.

5Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.

6The one who sends a message by a fool's hand cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

6Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!

7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like lame legs that hang limp.

7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.

8Giving honor to a fool is like binding a stone in a sling.

8Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.

9A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a stick with thorns, brandished by the hand of a drunkard.

9A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.

10The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by is like an archer who wounds everyone.

10An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random.

11As a dog returns to its vomit, so also a fool repeats his foolishness.

11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.

12Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

12There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.

13The slacker says, "There's a lion in the road--a lion in the public square!"

13The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”

14A door turns on its hinges, and a slacker, on his bed.

14As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.

15The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!

15Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.

16In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven who can answer sensibly.

16Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors.

17A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that's not his is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.

17Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.

18Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,

18Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon

19so is the person who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!"

19is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”

20Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.

20Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.

21As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

21A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.

22A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being.

22Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.

23Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel.

23Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.

24A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within.

24People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you.

25When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart.

25They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.

26Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly.

26While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.

27The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone--it will come back on him.

27If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead.

28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

28A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.