26 Like snow in summer or rainv in harvest,

honor is not fitting for a fool.w

2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,

an undeserved curse does not come to rest.x

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,y

and a rod for the backs of fools!z

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

or you yourself will be just like him.a

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

or he will be wise in his own eyes.b

6 Sending a message by the hands of a foolc

is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.

7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.d

8 Like tying a stone in a sling

is the giving of honor to a fool.e

9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.f

10 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,g

so fools repeat their folly.h

12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?i

There is more hope for a fool than for them.j

13 A sluggard says,k “There’s a lion in the road,

a fierce lion roaming the streets!”l

14 As a door turns on its hinges,

so a sluggard turns on his bed.m

15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.n

16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes

than seven people who answer discreetly.

17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears

is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

18 Like a maniac shooting

flaming arrows of death

19 is one who deceives their neighbor

and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood a fire goes out;

without a gossip a quarrel dies down.o

21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.p

22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

they go down to the inmost parts.q

23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware

are ferventa lips with an evil heart.

24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,r

but in their hearts they harbor deceit.s

25 Though their speech is charming,t do not believe them,

for seven abominations fill their hearts.u

26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,

but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27 Whoever digs a pitv will fall into it;w

if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.x

28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,

and a flattering mouthy works ruin.

27 Do not boastz about tomorrow,

for you do not know what a day may bring.a

2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;

an outsider, and not your own lips.b

3 Stone is heavy and sandc a burden,

but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,

but who can stand before jealousy?d

5 Better is open rebuke

than hidden love.

6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,

but an enemy multiplies kisses.e

7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb,

but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

8 Like a bird that flees its nestf

is anyone who flees from home.

9 Perfumeg and incense bring joy to the heart,

and the pleasantness of a friend

springs from their heartfelt advice.

10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,

and do not go to your relative’s house when disasterh strikes you—

better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;i

then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.j

12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,

but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.k

13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;

hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.l

14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,

it will be taken as a curse.

15 A quarrelsome wife is like the drippingm

of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;

16 restraining her is like restraining the wind

or grasping oil with the hand.

17 As iron sharpens iron,

so one person sharpens another.

18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,n

and whoever protects their master will be honored.o

19 As water reflects the face,

so one’s life reflects the heart.a

20 Death and Destructionb are never satisfied,p

and neither are human eyes.q

21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,r

but people are tested by their praise.

22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,

grinding them like grain with a pestle,

you will not remove their folly from them.

23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,s

give careful attention to your herds;

24 for riches do not endure forever,t

and a crown is not secure for all generations.

25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears

and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,

and the goats with the price of a field.

27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family

and to nourish your female servants.

28 The wicked fleeu though no one pursues,v

but the righteous are as bold as a lion.w

2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,

but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

3 A rulera who oppresses the poor

is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,

but those who heed it resist them.

5 Evildoers do not understand what is right,

but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

6 Better the poor whose walk is blameless

than the rich whose ways are perverse.x

7 A discerning son heeds instruction,

but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.y

8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interestz or profit from the poor

amasses it for another,a who will be kind to the poor.b

9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,

even their prayers are detestable.c

10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path

will fall into their own trap,d

but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

11 The rich are wise in their own eyes;

one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;e

but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.f

13 Whoever conceals their sinsg does not prosper,

but the one who confessesh and renounces them finds mercy.i

14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,

but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear

is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

16 A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,

but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

17 Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder

will seek refugej in the grave;

let no one hold them back.

18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,k

but the one whose ways are perverse will falll into the pit.b

19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,

but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.m

20 A faithful person will be richly blessed,

but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.n

21 To show partialityo is not goodp—

yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.q

22 The stingy are eager to get rich

and are unaware that poverty awaits them.r

23 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor

rather than one who has a flattering tongue.s

24 Whoever robs their father or mothert

and says, “It’s not wrong,”

is partner to one who destroys.u

25 The greedy stir up conflict,v

but those who trust in the Lordw will prosper.

26 Those who trust in themselves are fools,x

but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.y

27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,z

but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.a

28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;b

but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.