Proverbs 26 - English Standard Version (ESV)

26 Like snow in summer or (A)rain in harvest,
so (B)honor is (C)not fitting for a fool.
2 Like (D)a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
(E)a curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 (F)A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and (G)a rod for the back of fools.
4 (H)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
5 (I)Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be (J)wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and (K)drinks violence.
7 Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless,
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is (L)one who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like (M)a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[a]
11 Like (N)a dog that returns to his vomit
is (O)a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is (P)wise in his own eyes?
(Q)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 (R)The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 (S)The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is (T)wiser in his own eyes
(U)than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws (V)firebrands, arrows, and death
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I am only joking!”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no (W)whisperer, (X)quarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is (Y)a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 (Z)The words of (AA)a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 (AB)Like the (AC)glaze[b] covering an earthen vessel
are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
and harbors deceit in his heart;
25 (AD)when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
for there are (AE)seven abominations in his heart;
26 though his hatred be covered with deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 (AF)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby
  2. Proverbs 26:23 By revocalization; Hebrew silver of dross

Cross references

  1. Proverbs 26:1 : [1 Sam. 12:17]
  2. Proverbs 26:1 : [ver. 8]
  3. Proverbs 26:1 : ch. 17:7; 19:10
  4. Proverbs 26:2 : ch. 27:8; Ps. 84:3
  5. Proverbs 26:2 : [Num. 23:8; Deut. 23:5; 2 Sam. 16:12]
  6. Proverbs 26:3 : [Ps. 32:9]
  7. Proverbs 26:3 : See ch. 19:29
  8. Proverbs 26:4 : [2 Sam. 16:11; 2 Kgs. 18:36; Luke 23:9]
  9. Proverbs 26:5 : See Matt. 16:1-4; 21:24-27
  10. Proverbs 26:5 : ch. 28:11; [Rom. 12:16]
  11. Proverbs 26:6 : [ch. 13:2; Job 15:16]
  12. Proverbs 26:8 : [ver. 1]
  13. Proverbs 26:9 : [ch. 23:35]
  14. Proverbs 26:11 : Cited 2 Pet. 2:22
  15. Proverbs 26:11 : [Ex. 8:15]
  16. Proverbs 26:12 : ch. 28:11; [Rom. 12:16]
  17. Proverbs 26:12 : ch. 29:20
  18. Proverbs 26:13 : ch. 22:13
  19. Proverbs 26:15 : ch. 19:24
  20. Proverbs 26:16 : [See ver. 12 above]; ch. 28:11; [Rom. 12:16]
  21. Proverbs 26:16 : [ver. 25; ch. 6:16]; See Job 5:19
  22. Proverbs 26:18 : [Isa. 50:11]
  23. Proverbs 26:20 : ch. 16:28
  24. Proverbs 26:20 : ch. 22:10
  25. Proverbs 26:21 : See ch. 15:18
  26. Proverbs 26:22 : ch. 18:8
  27. Proverbs 26:22 : [See ver. 20 above]; ch. 16:28
  28. Proverbs 26:23 : [Matt. 23:27; Luke 11:39]
  29. Proverbs 26:23 : See ch. 25:4
  30. Proverbs 26:25 : See Ps. 28:3
  31. Proverbs 26:25 : [ver. 16]
  32. Proverbs 26:27 : [ch. 28:10]; See Ps. 7:15

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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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