26 Like snow in summer or u rain in harvest ,

so v honor is w not fitting for a fool .

2 Like x a sparrow in its flitting , like a swallow in its flying ,

y a curse that is causeless does not alight .

3 z A whip for the horse , a bridle for the donkey ,

and a a rod for the back of fools .

4 b Answer not a fool according to his folly ,

lest you be like him yourself .

5 c Answer a fool according to his folly ,

lest he be d wise in his own eyes .

6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and e 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 f one who gives honor to a fool .

9 Like g 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 .

11 Like h a dog that returns to his vomit

is i a fool who repeats his folly .

12 Do you see a man who is j wise in his own eyes ?

k There is more hope for a fool than for him .

13 l 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 m The sluggard buries his hand in the dish ;

it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth .

16 The sluggard is j wiser in his own eyes

n 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 o 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 p whisperer , q quarreling ceases .

21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire ,

so is r a quarrelsome man for kindling strife .

22 s The words of p a whisperer are like delicious morsels ;

they go down into the inner parts of the body .

23 t Like the u glaze 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 v when he speaks graciously , believe him not ,

for there are w seven abominations in his heart ;

26 though his hatred be covered with deception ,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly .

27 x 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 ,