26:1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. 26:2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight. 26:3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools. 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. 26:6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. 26:7 Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 26:8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool. 26:9 Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 26:10 Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard. 26:11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. 26:12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes There is more hope for a fool than for him. 26:13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!" 26:14 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. 26:15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. 26:17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears. 26:18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death 26:19 is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I am only joking!" 26:20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. 26:21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. 26:22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. 26:23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart. 26:24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; 26:25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; 26:26 though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. 26:27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. 26:28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.