Proverbs 26:1-16

¹As dew in harvest, and as rain in summer, so honor is not seemly for a fool.

²As birds and sparrows fly, so a curse shall not come upon any one without a cause.

³As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so is a rod for a simple nation.

⁴Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him.

⁵Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.

⁶He that sends a message by a foolish messenger procures for himself a reproach from his own ways.

⁷As well take away the motion of the legs, as transgression from the mouth of fools.

⁸He that binds up a stone in a sling, is like one that gives glory to a fool.

⁹Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard, and servitude in the hand of fools.

¹⁰All the flesh of fools endures much hardship; for their fury is brought to nothing.

¹¹As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin. There is a shame that brings sin: and there is a shame that is glory and grace.

¹²I have seen a man who seemed to himself to be wise; but a fool had more hope than he.

¹³A sluggard when sent on a journey says, There is a lion in the ways, and there are murderers in the streets.

¹⁴As a door turns on the hinge, so does a sluggard on his bed.

¹⁵A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.

¹⁶A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.