¹ Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, ² Like a fluttering sparrow, ³ A whip is for the horse, ⁴ Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, ⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly, ⁶ One who sends a message by the hand of a fool ⁷ Like the legs of the lame that hang loose, ⁸ As one who binds a stone in a sling, ⁹ Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, ¹⁰ As an archer who wounds all, ¹¹ As a dog that returns to his vomit, ¹² Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? ¹³ The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! ¹⁴ As the door turns on its hinges, ¹⁵ The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. ¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes ¹⁷ Like one who grabs a dog’s ears ¹⁸ Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death, ¹⁹ is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?” ²⁰ For lack of wood a fire goes out.
Without gossip, a quarrel dies down. ²¹ As coals are to hot embers,
so is a contentious man to kindling strife. ²² The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, ²³ Like silver dross on an earthen vessel ²⁴ A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, ²⁵ When his speech is charming, don’t believe him, ²⁶ His malice may be concealed by deception, ²⁷ Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it.
Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him. ²⁸ A lying tongue hates those it hurts;