Proverbs 26-27

Proverbs 26

¹As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.

²As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.

³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

⁴Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

⁵Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

⁶He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh damage.

⁷The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

⁸As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

⁹As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.

¹¹As a dog turneth back to its vomit, so a fool repeateth his folly.

¹²Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

¹³The sluggard saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!

¹⁴As the door turneth upon its hinges, so the sluggard upon his bed.

¹⁵The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.

¹⁶A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men that answer discreetly.

¹⁷He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

¹⁸As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,

¹⁹so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?

²⁰Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.

²¹As coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.

²²The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

²³Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are as an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

²⁴He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him:

²⁵when his voice is gracious, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

²⁶Though his hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.

²⁷Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.

²⁸A lying tongue hateth those that are injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

Proverbs 27

¹Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth.

²Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

³A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than them both.

⁴Fury is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before jealousy?

⁵Open rebuke is better than hidden love.

⁶Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

⁷The full soul trampleth on a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

⁸As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

⁹Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; and the sweetness of one's friend is the fruit of hearty counsel.

¹⁰Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

¹¹Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me.

¹²A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; the simple pass on, and are punished.

¹³Take his garment that is become surety for another, and hold him in pledge for a strange woman.

¹⁴He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be reckoned a curse to him.

¹⁵A continual dropping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike:

¹⁶whosoever will restrain her restraineth the wind, and his right hand encountereth oil.

¹⁷Iron is sharpened by iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

¹⁸Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that guardeth his master shall be honoured.

¹⁹As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

²⁰Sheol and destruction are insatiable; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

²¹The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; so let a man be to the mouth that praiseth him.

²²If thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his folly depart from him.

²³Be well acquainted with the appearance of thy flocks; look well to thy herds:

²⁴for wealth is not for ever; and doth the crown endure from generation to generation?

²⁵The hay is removed, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered in.

²⁶The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of a field;

²⁷and there is goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and sustenance for thy maidens.