Proverbs 26 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Wise Sayings About Fools

26 Just as snow should not fall in summer, nor rain at harvest time, so people should not honor a fool.

2 Don’t worry when someone curses you for no reason. Nothing bad will happen. Such words are like birds that fly past and never stop.

3 You have to whip a horse, you have to put a bridle on a mule, and you have to beat a fool.

4-5 There is no good way to answer fools when they say something stupid. If you answer them, then you, too, will look like a fool. If you don’t answer them, they will think they are smart.

6 Never let a fool carry your message. If you do, it will be like cutting off your own feet. You are only asking for trouble.

7 A fool trying to say something wise is like a crippled person trying to walk.

8 Showing honor to a fool is as bad as tying a rock in a sling.

9 A fool trying to say something wise is like a drunk trying to pick a thorn out of his hand.

10 Hiring a fool or a stranger who is just passing by is dangerous—you don’t know who might get hurt.

11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit, a fool does the same foolish things again and again.

12 People who think they are wise when they are not are worse than fools.

13 A person who is lazy and wants to stay home says, “What if there is a lion out there? Really, there might be a lion in the street!”

14 Like a door on its hinges, a lazy man turns back and forth on his bed.

15 Lazy people are too lazy to lift the food from their plate to their mouth.

16 Lazy people think they are seven times smarter than the people who really have good sense.

17 To step between two people arguing is as foolish as going out into the street and grabbing a stray dog by the ears.

18-19 Anyone who would trick someone and then say, “I was only joking” is like a fool who shoots flaming arrows into the air and accidentally kills someone.

20 Without wood, a fire goes out. Without gossip, arguments stop.

21 Charcoal keeps the coals glowing, wood keeps the fire burning, and troublemakers keep arguments alive.

22 People love to hear gossip. It is like tasty food on its way to the stomach.

23 Good words that hide an evil heart are like silver paint over a cheap, clay pot. 24 Evil people say things to make themselves look good, but they keep their evil plans a secret. 25 What they say sounds good, but don’t trust them. They are full of evil ideas. 26 They hide their evil plans with nice words, but in the end, everyone will see the evil they do.

27 Whoever digs a pit can fall into it. Whoever rolls a large stone can be crushed by it.

28 Liars hate the people they hurt, and false praise can hurt people.

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Proverbs 26 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

26 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour [is] not comely for a fool. 2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come. 3 A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools. 4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, Le...
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Proverbs 26 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

26 As snow in summer, and rain in harvest; so glory is unseemly to a fool. (Like snow in summer, and rain at harvest; so glory is unbecoming to a fool.) 2 For as a bird flying over to high things, and as a sparrow going into uncertain; so cursing brought forth without reasonable cause shall come abo...
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Proverbs 26 - World English Bible (WEB)

26 Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.2 Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!4 Don’t answer a fool according to ...
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Proverbs 26 - The Voice (VOICE)

26 Like snow in the summer and rain in the time of harvest, so honor is never fitting for a fool.2 Like a bird that flits and flutters or a swallow in mid-flight, so a curse that lacks cause will never come to light.3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey, and a rod is for the fool’s b...
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Proverbs 26 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Folly of Fools26 Like snow in summer or rain at harvest,so honor is not fitting for a fool.2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a flying swallow,so an undeserved curse does not land.3 A whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey,and a rod for the back of fools.4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,el...
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Proverbs 26 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.4 Answer not a fool according to his f...
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Proverbs 26 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.4 Answer not a fool according to his f...
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Proverbs 26 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honour is not fitting for a fool.2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.4 Do not answer fools according to their fo...
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Proverbs 26 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.(A)2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.(B)3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.(C)4 Do not answer fools according to ...
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Proverbs 26 - New Living Translation (NLT)

26 Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest. 2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. 3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back! 4 Don’t answer the...
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Proverbs 26 - New Life Version (NLV)

26 Like snow in summer and like rain at gathering time, so honor is not right for a fool. 2 Like a sparrow in its traveling, like a swallow in its flying, so bad words said against someone without reason do not come to rest. 3 A whip is for the horse, leather ropes are for the donkey, and a stick is...
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Proverbs 26 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Honor Is Not Fitting for a Fool26 As snow in summer (A)and rain in harvest,So honor is not fitting for a fool. 2 Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,So (B)a curse without cause shall not alight. 3 (C)A whip for the horse,A bridle for the donkey,And a rod for the fool’s back.4 Do not answe...
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Proverbs 26 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honour is not fitting for a fool.2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or ...
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Proverbs 26 - New International Version (NIV)

26 Like snow in summer or rain(A) in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.(B)2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.(C)3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(D) and a rod for the backs of fools!(E)4 Do not answer a fool according to ...
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Proverbs 26 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

26 It isn’t proper to honor a foolish person. That’s like having snow in summer or rain at harvest time. 2 A curse given for no reason is like a wandering bird or a flying sparrow. It doesn’t go anywhere. 3 A whip is for a horse, and a harness is for a donkey. And a beating is for the backs of fooli...
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Proverbs 26 - New English Translation (NET)

26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,so honor[a] is not fitting for a fool.[b]2 Like a fluttering bird or like a flying swallow,so a curse without cause[c] does not come to rest.[d]3 A whip for the horse and a bridle for the donkey,and a rod for the backs of fools![e]4 Do not answer a fool acco...
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