Proverbs 26 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 26 ▼
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1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, || So honor [is] not fitting for a fool. 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 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, || So reviling without cause does not come. 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, a bridle for a donkey, || And a rod for the back of fools. 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 answer a fool according to his folly, || Lest you are like to him—even you. 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 Answer a fool according to his folly, || Lest he is wise in his own eyes. 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 He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, || Who is sending things by the hand of a fool. 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 The two legs of the lame have been weak, || And an allegory in the mouth of fools. 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 As one who is binding a stone in a sling, || So [is] he who is giving honor to a fool. 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 A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, || And an allegory in the mouth of fools. 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 The Former of all [is] great, || And He is rewarding a fool, || And is rewarding transgressors. 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 As a dog has returned to its vomit, || A fool is repeating his folly. 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 You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, || More hope of a fool than of 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 slothful has said, || “A lion [is] in the way, || A lion [is] in the broad places.” 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 The door turns around on its hinge, || And the slothful on 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 slothful has hid his hand in a dish, || He is weary of bringing it back 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 Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, || Than seven [men] returning a reason. 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 Laying hold on the ears of a dog, || [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own. 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 As [one] pretending to be feeble, || Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death, Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
19 So has a man deceived his neighbor, || And has said, “Am I not playing?” 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 Fire is going out without wood, || And contention ceases without a tale-bearer, 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 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, || And a man of contentions to kindle strife. 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 tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, || And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart. 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 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, || [Are] burning lips and an evil 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 A hater pretends by his lips, || And he places deceit in his heart, 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 his voice is gracious do not trust in him, || For seven abominations [are] 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 Hatred is covered by deceit, || Its wickedness is revealed in an 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 is digging a pit falls into it, || And the roller of a stone, it turns 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 lying tongue hates its bruised ones, || And a flattering mouth works an overthrow! 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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