¹ As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
So honour is not seemly for a fool.
² As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying,
So the curse causeless shall not come.
³ A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
And a rod for the fool’s back.
⁴ Answer not a fool according to his folly,
Lest thou also be like unto him.
⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
⁶ He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool
Cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
⁷ The legs of the lame are not equal:
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
⁸ As he that bindeth a stone in a sling,
So is he that giveth honour to a fool.
⁹ As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
¹⁰ The great God that formed all things
Both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
¹¹ As a dog returneth to his vomit,
So a fool returneth to his folly.
¹² Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.
¹³ The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way;
A lion is in the streets.
¹⁴ As the door turneth upon his hinges,
So doth the slothful upon his bed.
¹⁵ The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom;
It grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit
Than seven men that can render a reason.
¹⁷ He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him,
Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
¹⁸ As a mad man who casteth firebrands,
Arrows, and death,
¹⁹ So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour,
And saith, Am not I in sport?
²⁰ Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out:
So where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
²¹ As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire;
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
²² The words of a talebearer are as wounds,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
²³ Burning lips and a wicked heart
Are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
²⁴ He that hateth dissembleth with his lips,
And layeth up deceit within him;
²⁵ When he speaketh fair, believe him not:
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
²⁶ Whose hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
²⁷ Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein:
And he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
²⁸ A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it;
And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.