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

¶ As snow in summer and as rain in harvest, so honour is not suited for a fool.

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

¶ As the sparrow in its wandering, as the swallow in its flight, so the curse causeless shall never come.

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

¶ A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.

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

¶ Never answer a fool according to his folly lest thou also be like unto him.

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

Answer the fool showing him his folly lest he be wise in his own conceit.

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

¶ He that gives responsibility to one who is not able to carry it out is like him that sends a message by the hand of a fool, and he shall drink the damage.

7 W eak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

Like unto the way that the one who is lame walks, so is a proverb in the mouth of the fool.

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

As he that binds the stone in the sling, so is he that gives honour to a fool.

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

As thorns sunk into the hand of one who is drunk, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 G reat the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.

¶ The great God that formed all things rewards both the fool and transgressors.

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

¶ As a dog returns to his vomit, so the fool returns to his folly.

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

¶ Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

13 T he slothful hath said, `A lion in the way, A lion in the broad places.'

¶ The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

14 T he door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.

¶ As the door turns upon his hinges, so does the slothful upon his bed.

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

¶ The slothful hides his hand in his bosom; it grieves him to bring it again to his mouth.

16 W iser the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven returning a reason.

¶ The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can give him counsel.

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

¶ He that passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him is like one that takes a dog by the ears.

18 A s pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,

¶ As a mad man who casts firebrands, arrows, and death,

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

so is the man that destroys his friend and says, Am I not in sport?

20 W ithout wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,

¶ Where there is no wood, the fire goes out, so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceases.

21 C oal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.

Charcoal for burning coals and wood for fire, and a contentious man to kindle strife.

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

The words of a talebearer seem smooth, but they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

23 S ilver of dross spread over potsherd, burning lips and an evil heart.

¶ Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

24 B y his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,

¶ He that hates dissembles with his lips and lays up deceit within him;

25 W hen his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations in his heart.

when he speaks fair, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 H atred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.

Even though his hatred is covered up in the desert, his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation.

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

¶ Whosoever digs a pit shall fall therein, and he that rolls a stone, it will return upon him.

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

¶ A lying tongue hates those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin.