Proverbs 26

1 Like snow [frosty white flakes] in summer [the harvest season] and rain [water from the sky] at harvest [the time of gathering crops], honor [glory, great respect] does not befit [is not seemly or fitting for] a fool [someone stupid, lacking wisdom]. word study 2 Like a fluttering [wandering] sparrow or [swiftly] darting swallow, an [unjust, undeserved, causeless] undeserved curse [without reason or purpose] does not [come to rest, alight, land] come to rest. word study 3 A whip [for punishment or chastisement] for the horse [a chariot horse], a bridle [a bit or mouth-piece] for the donkey [a male ass], and a rod [a rod or staff, a sceptre] for the backs [the midst or central location] of fools [stupid or silly ones, rejecting God’s wisdom]! word study 4 Do not [refrain from, lest you] answer [respond to, make music] a fool [stupid person, one who rejects God] according to his folly [foolishness, silliness], or you yourself [as an individual, personally] will be like [equal to, similar to] him [in nature, character]. word study 5 Answer [respond, give a suitable reply] a fool [stupid person, one who rejects God] according to his folly [foolishness, silliness], lest [beware, be cautious that] he become [exist, come into being] wise [intelligent, skilled] in his own eyes [conceit, self-importance]. word study 6 Like cutting off [completely severing] one’s own feet [ability to move forward] or drinking [consuming, swallowing] violence [cruelty, injustice] is the sending [dispatching, entrusting] of a message [important information, a matter] by the hand [care, agency] of a fool [stupid, silly, one who rejects God]. word study 7 Like lame [weak, crippled] legs [thighs, lower legs] hanging [languishing, drooping] limp is a proverb [wise saying, parable] in the mouth [lips, words] of a fool [stupid one, silly person, rejecting God]. word study 8 Like binding [confining, tying up] a stone [a rock, a weight] into a sling [a weapon, a heap of stones] is the giving [bestowing, putting] of honor [glory, great respect] to a fool [a stupid person, one who rejects God]. word study 9 Like a [thistle, type of thorny plant] thorn that falls [or goes up, ascends] into the hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] of a drunkard [intoxicated, under the influence] is a proverb [wise saying, teaching a lesson] in the mouth [lips, edge of speech] of a fool [stupid, rejecting God’s wisdom]. word study 10 Like an archer [who shoots without aim] who wounds at random [all who are near, everyone] is he who hires [employs, pays] a fool [stupid, silly, or morally deficient] or passerby [one who crosses over, a transient]. word study 11 As a dog [despised or lowly creature] returns [to turn back, repeat] to its vomit [to throw up, be sick], so a fool [stupid, silly, rejecting God] repeats [does again, reverts to] his folly [foolishness, ridiculous behavior, silliness]. word study 12 Do you see [have you observed, perceived] a man [individual, person] who is wise [intelligent, discerning] in his own eyes [conceit, self-esteem]? There is more hope [expectation, confidence] for a fool [stupid, silly person] than for him [such a self-deceived individual]. word study 13 The slacker [slothful man, hater of work, lazy person] says, “A lion is in the road [way, path, journey]! A fierce lion roams [is in, present in] the public square [street, plaza, marketplace, broad places]!” word study 14 As a door [a swinging entrance] turns on its hinges [a pivot point], so the slacker [a sluggish person, slothful] turns on his bed [a place of rest, couch]. word study 15 The slacker [slothful, extremely lazy] buries [hides, conceals] his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] in the dish [a deep container, bowl]; it wearies [makes disgusted, tires] him to bring [to return, turn back] it back to his mouth [lips, edge of the face]. word study 16 The slacker [lazy person, sluggard, hater of work] is wiser [intelligent, skilled, prudent] in his own eyes [conceit, opinion, perception] than seven men who answer [render a reason, return a response, speak with discretion] discreetly [with good sense, intelligently, sensibly]. word study 17 Like one who grabs [seizes, lays hold of] a dog [a lowly or despised creature] by the ears [the organ of hearing] is a passerby [one who crosses over, transitions] who meddles [interferes, involves himself] in a quarrel [strife, dispute] not his own [belonging to someone else, none of his concern]. word study 18 Like a [crazy, insane] madman [pretending to be feeble] shooting [casting, throwing] firebrands [flaming sticks, sparks] and deadly [mortal] arrows [of death, to kill], word study 19 so [thus, in this manner] is the man [a male person, individual] who deceives [betraying, misleading] his neighbor [friend, companion] and says [speaks, claims], “I was only [merely, simply] joking [laughing, in sport]!” word study 20 Without [lacking, devoid of] wood [tree, wooden material], a fire [burning, flame] goes out [is quenched, extinguished]; without [in the absence of] gossip [talebearing, whispering, rumor-spreading], a conflict [strife, contention, quarrel] ceases [comes to an end, is stilled, dies down]. word study 21 Like charcoal [coals, burning embers] for embers [hot coals, glowing sparks] and wood [trees, branches] for fire [flame, burning passion], so is a quarrelsome [contentious, argumentative] man [individual, person] for kindling [igniting, fueling] strife [conflict, discord, contention]. word study 22 The words [of a whisperer, like a slanderer] of a gossip [talebearer, one who spreads rumors] are like choice morsels [dainty, sweet] that go down [to swallow, gulp] into the inmost being [innermost parts, the belly, the seat of emotions]. word study 23 Like glaze [shiny lead glaze, silver dross] covering an earthen [clay, pottery] vessel are burning [fervent, pursuing] lips [language, speech] and a wicked [evil, bad] heart [feelings, will, intellect]. word study 24 A [malicious] hateful man disguises [counterfeits, dissembles] himself with his [lips, language] speech, but he lays up [stores, harbors] deceit [cheating, trickery] in his [inner, secret] heart. word study 25 When he speaks [with a charming voice] graciously [fairly, with kind words], do not [under any circumstances] believe him, for [because of the following reason] seven abominations [detestable things, evils] fill his heart [inner being, mind, and spirit]. word study 26 Though his hatred [hating, having animosity] is concealed [covered, hidden] by deception [guile, cunning tricks], his wickedness [bad, evil nature] will be exposed [revealed, laid open] in the assembly [congregation, public gathering]. word study 27 He who digs [to excavate, pierce] a pit [a grave, destruction] will fall [to be defeated, come to ruin] into it, and he who rolls [to move in a rolling motion] a stone [a rock, a weight] will have it roll back [to return, turn back] on him [toward himself, against him]. word study 28 A lying [deceitful, false] tongue [language or speech] hates [to intensely dislike or despise] those it crushes [oppresses or afflicts], and a flattering [smooth, deceitful] mouth [lips or edge] causes [to make or bring about] ruin [destruction or overthrow, a cause of stumbling]. word study