| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. | 1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool. |
| 2Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight. | 2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. |
| 3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools. | 3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! |
| 4Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. | 4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. |
| 5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. | 5Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. |
| 6Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. | 6Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one's feet or drinking poison. |
| 7Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools. | 7Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. |
| 8Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool. | 8Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. |
| 9Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools. | 9Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. |
| 10Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard. | 10Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. |
| 11Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. | 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. |
| 12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. | 12Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them. |
| 13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!” | 13A sluggard says, "There's a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!" |
| 14As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. | 14As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. |
| 15The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. | 15A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. |
| 16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. | 16A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly. |
| 17Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears. | 17Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own. |
| 18Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death | 18Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death |
| 19is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!” | 19is one who deceives their neighbor and says, "I was only joking!" |
| 20For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. | 20Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. |
| 21As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. | 21As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. |
| 22The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. | 22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. |
| 23Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart. | 23Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. |
| 24Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; | 24Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. |
| 25when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; | 25Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. |
| 26though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. | 26Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. |
| 27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. | 27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them. |
| 28A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. | 28A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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