THE
PROVERBS

Proverbs 26 ©

Honoring fools, verses 1, 8. Undeserved curse, 2. Correction of fools, 3. To answer fools, 4, 5. Foolish messengers, 6. Excellent sayings of fools, 7, 9. The oppression done by great men by means of their wicked servants, 10. Repeated folly, 11. Self-conceit, 12. Slothful man, 13, 14, 15, 16. Unnecessary strife, 17. Deceit, with pretense of jesting, 18, 19. Whisperer, 20, 22. Contentious people, 21. Hypocrisy, hatred concealed, and devices, 23, etc.

1

AS snow in summer, and as rain in 1harvest, so 2honour is not seemly for a fool.

2

As the 3bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse 4causeless shall 5not come.

3

Aa whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and ab rod for the fool's back.

4

6Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

5

Answer a fool 7according to his folly, lest he be wise 8in his own conceit.

6

He that sendeth 9a message 10by the hand of a fool 11cutteth off the feet, and 12drinketh damage.

7

The legs of the lame are 13not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

8

As 14he that bindeth a 15stone in a sling, so is he that giveth 16honour to a fool.

9

As a thorn 17goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

10

18The great God that formed all things both rewardeth 19the fool, and rewardeth 20transgressors.

11

Asc a dog 21returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

12

Seest thou a man 22wise in his own conceit? there is more 23hope ofd24a fool than of him.

13

25Thee slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

14

As the door turneth upon his 26hinges, so doth the slothful 27upon his bed.

15

28Thef slothful hideth his hand 29in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

16

The sluggard 30is wiser in his own conceit than 31seven men that can render a 32reason.

17

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife 33belonging not to him, is like 34one that taketh a dog by the ears.

18

As a mad man 35who casteth 36firebrands, arrows, and 37death,

19

So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, 38Am not I in sport?

20

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: 39sog where there is no 40talebearer, the strife 41ceaseth.

21

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a 42contentioush man to kindle strife.

22

43Thei words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

23

44Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a 45potsherd covered with silver dross.

24

He that hateth 46dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit 47within him;

25

When 48he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are 49seven 50abominations in his heart.

26

Whose hatred is covered 51by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed 52before the whole congregation.

27

Whosoj53diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon 54him.

28

55A lying tongue hateth those that are 56afflicted by it; and a 57flattering mouth 58worketh ruin.