Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26:2

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

As a bird flies swiftly away, and returns not to thy hand again; so the causeless curse shall vanish into the air suddenly, and never come near thee, to thy hurt.

Proverbs 26:4

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

Answer not a fool in that idle or malicious fashion wherein he provoketh thee, lest thou declare thyself to be as very a fool as he.

Proverbs 26:5

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

In a discreet and sober manner take up a fool roundly, and convince him of his absurd cavils and proud ignorance; lest, otherwise, he go away more highly conceited of his own abilities and victory.

Proverbs 26:6

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

No more can a fool do his message, than a man without feet can go: he therefore doth as it were cut off his own feet, that sends a fool on his errand; for both he is disappointed, and sustains loss.

Proverbs 26:7

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

As there is a disproportion in the legs of the lame man; whereof one is longer, another shorter: both, unfit for motion: so there is much unmeetness in a fool’s parable; it doth neither agree with itself, nor with him that speaks it.

Proverbs 26:8

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

He, that giveth applause and honour to the person or speech of a fool, doth as unseasonably, as he, that binds up a stone in a sling which should be altogether for ejaculation; and should no more be fastened therein, than a high conceit should be raised and fixed in the mind of a fool, by our flattering approbation.

Proverbs 26:9

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

It is no more fit for a fool to meddle with a wise speech, than for a drunken man to handle a thorn bush: this wounds him; that shames him.

Proverbs 26:16

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

The sluggard will not be beaten out of his sloth; and, let never so many wise men persuade him to shake off his dull idleness, yet he persists in his error, and thinks himself herein wiser than they all. XXVI. 18, 19. As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? There is little difference in this case, betwixt fraud and fury: he, that purposely deceives his neighbour under a colour of jest, is no less prejudicial to him, than a lunatic, that doth wrong out of frenzy and distemper.

Proverbs 26:23

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

Lips full of secret detraction and slander, joined with a false and malicious heart, are like a base potsherd of earth, covered over with some filings of silver: under some shews of friendship, there is nothing within but filthy hypocrisy.

Proverbs 26:25

There are seven abominations in his heart.

There are many varieties of secret wickednesses in his heart.

Proverbs 26:28

A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it.

A man of a lying tongue hates those, whom he hath wronged; only out of the conscience of his own injury; because he knows he hath deserved to be hated by them.