1
Like snow in summer or 1rain in harvest, so 2honor is 3not fitting for a fool.
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Like 4a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, 5a curse that is causeless does not alight.
3
6A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and 7a rod for the back of fools.
4
8Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.
5
9Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be 10wise in his own eyes.
6
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and 11drinks 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 12one who gives honor to a fool.
9
Like 13a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
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Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
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Like 14a dog that returns to his vomit is 15a fool who repeats his folly.
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Do you see a man who is 16wise in his own eyes? 17There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13
18The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!"
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As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.
15
19The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
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The sluggard is 20wiser in his own eyes 21than 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.
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Like a madman who throws 22firebrands, arrows, and death
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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 23whisperer, 24quarreling ceases.
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As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is 25a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22
26The words of 27a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
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28Like the 29glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.
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Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;
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30when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are 31seven abominations in his heart;
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though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
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32Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.