Proverbs 26 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 26 ▼
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English Standard Version
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1 In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish. Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away. Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight. Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity. Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
7 In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish. Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools. Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish. Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool. Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish. Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools. Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger. Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard. Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness. Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
12 Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him. Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
13 The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.” The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!” A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed. As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another. Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears. Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death, Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
19 so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.” is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!” is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled. For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels. As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self. The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
23 In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart. Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart. Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit. Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart. when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly. though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
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