1 L ike snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour not comely for a fool.

2 L ike a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.

As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.

3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!

A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.

4 D on’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him -- even thou.

5 A nswer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6 O ne who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.

He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.

7 L ike the legs of the lame that hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

8 A s one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.

As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So he who is giving honour to a fool.

9 L ike a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

10 A s an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.

Great the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.

11 A s a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.

As a dog hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.

12 D o you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!

13 T he sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”

The slothful hath said, `A lion in the way, A lion in the broad places.'

14 A s the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.

The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.

15 T he sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

The slothful hath hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.

16 T he sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.

Wiser the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven returning a reason.

17 L ike one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.

Laying hold on the ears of a dog, a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.

18 L ike a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,

As pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,

19 i s the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”

So hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, `Am not I playing?'

20 F or lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.

Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,

21 A s coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.

Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.

22 T he words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.

The words of a tale-bearer as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down the inner parts of the heart.

23 L ike silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.

Silver of dross spread over potsherd, burning lips and an evil heart.

24 A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.

By his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,

25 W hen his speech is charming, don’t believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart.

When his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations in his heart.

26 H is malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Hatred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.

27 W hoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And the roller of a stone, to him it turneth.

28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.

A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!