| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1As snow in summer and rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool. | 1Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest. |
| 2Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight. | 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 fool’s back. | 3Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back! |
| 4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. | 4Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. |
| 5Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes. | 5Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation. |
| 6He who sends a message by the hand of a fool 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! |
| 7Like the legs of the lame that hang limp Is a proverb in the mouth of fools. | 7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg. |
| 8Like one who binds a stone in a sling Is he who gives honor to a fool. | 8Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot. |
| 9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard Is a proverb in the mouth of fools. | 9A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk. |
| 10The great God who formed everything Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages. | 10An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random. |
| 11As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly. | 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. |
| 12Do you see a man 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 lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!” | 13The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!” |
| 14As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed. | 14As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed. |
| 15The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. | 15Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth. |
| 16The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly. | 16Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors. |
| 17He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes 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 firebrands, arrows, and death, | 18Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon |
| 19Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!” | 19is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.” |
| 20Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases. | 20Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. |
| 21As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. | 21A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood. |
| 22The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. | 22Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart. |
| 23Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross. | 23Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. |
| 24He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself; | 24People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. |
| 25When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart; | 25They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils. |
| 26Though his hatred is covered by deceit, His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly. | 26While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public. |
| 27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll 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 who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin. | 28A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | 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. |
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