Proverbs 26 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 26 ▼
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1 Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest. 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 fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. 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 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back! 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 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. 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 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation. 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 Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison! 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 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg. 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 Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot. 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 proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk. 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 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random. 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 returns to its vomit, so a fool 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 There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise. 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 person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!” 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 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in 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 Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their 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 Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors. 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 Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears. 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 damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
19 is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.” 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 goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. 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 A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood. 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 Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s 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 Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. 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 People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. 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 They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils. 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 While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public. 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 If 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. 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 victims, and flattering words cause 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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