Proverbs 26 — ULB

26Verse 1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
so a fool does not deserve honor.
^{Verse 2}As the sparrow flitters and the swallow darts when they fly,
so an undeserved curse does not alight.
^{Verse 3}A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey
and a rod is for the back of fools.
^{Verse 4}Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you will become like him.
^{Verse 5}Answer a fool and join in on his folly,
so he will not become wise in his own eyes.
^{Verse 6}Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
^{Verse 7}Like the legs of a paralytic which hang down
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
^{Verse 8}Like tying a stone in a sling
is giving honor to a fool.
^{Verse 9}Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
^{Verse 10}Like an archer who wounds all those around him
is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.
^{Verse 11}As a dog returns to his own vomit,
so is a fool who repeats his folly.
^{Verse 12}Do you see someone who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
^{Verse 13}The lazy person says, “There is a lion on the road!
There is a lion between the open places!”
^{Verse 14}As the door turns on its hinges,
so is the lazy person upon his bed.
^{Verse 15}The lazy person puts his hand into the dish
and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.
^{Verse 16}The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who respond with good judgment.
^{Verse 17}Like one who takes hold of the ears of a dog,
is a passerby who becomes angry at a dispute that is not his own.
^{Verse 18}Like a madman who shoots burning arrows,
^{Verse 19}is the one who deceives his neighbor
and says, “Was I not telling a joke?”
^{Verse 20}For lack of wood, the fire goes out;
and where there is no gossiper quarreling ceases.
^{Verse 21}As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
^{Verse 22}The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
^{Verse 23}Like the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel
so are burning lips and an evil heart.
^{Verse 24}One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips
and he lays up deceit within himself.
^{Verse 25}He will speak graciously, but do not believe him,
for there are seven abominations in his heart.
^{Verse 26}Though his hatred is covered with deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
^{Verse 27}Whoever digs a pit will fall into it
and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.
^{Verse 28}A lying tongue hates the people it crushes
and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.