Proverbs 26:3-25

³Beating be to an horse, and a bridle to an ass; and a rod to the back of unprudent men.

⁴Answer thou not to a fool after his folly, lest thou be made like him.

⁵Answer thou (to) a fool after his folly, lest he seem to himself to be wise (or lest he thinketh himself to be wise).

⁶(As) An halting man in feet, and drinking wickedness, that is, drink harmful to himself, (is) he that sendeth words by a fond messenger. (Like a person who is lame, and like someone who drinketh a drink that is harmful to himself, is he who sendeth words by a foolish messenger.)

⁷As an halting man hath fair legs in vain; so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.

⁸As he that sendeth a stone into the broad place of the sling; so he that giveth honour to an unwise man. (Like he who sendeth a stone into the broad place of a sling, is he who giveth honour to an unwise person.)

⁹As if a thorn groweth in the hand of a drunken man; so is a parable in the mouth of fools. (Like a thorn that groweth in the hand of a drunk, is a parable in the mouth of a fool.)

¹⁰Doom determineth causes; and he that setteth silence to a fool, assuageth ires. (Judgement decideth a person’s case; and he who telleth a fool to be silent, lesseneth anger.)

¹¹As a dog that turneth again to his spewing or As an hound that turneth again to his vomit; so is an unprudent man, that rehearseth his folly. (Like a dog that returneth to his vomit, is an imprudent person, who repeateth his own foolishness.)

¹²Thou hast seen a man seem wise to himself; an unknowing man shall have hope more than he. (Thou hast seen a person who taketh himself to be wise; but a person without knowledge, yea, a fool, shall have more hope than him.)

¹³A slow man saith, A lion is in the way, a lioness is in the footpaths. (A lazy person saith, A lion is there on the way, a lioness is there on the footpaths!)

¹⁴As a door is turned in his hinges; so a slow man in his bed. (Like a door turning on its hinges, is a lazy person turning in his bed.)

¹⁵A slow man hideth his hands under his armpit; and he travaileth, if he turneth them up to his mouth. (A lazy person hideth his hands under his armpit; and he laboureth, if he turneth them up to his mouth.)

¹⁶A slow man seemeth wiser to himself, than seven men speaking sentences. (A lazy person seemeth wiser to himself, than seven people speaking forth their thoughts.)

¹⁷As he that taketh a dog by the ears; so he that passeth, and is unpatient, and is meddled with the chiding of another man. (Like he who taketh a dog by the ears, is he who passeth by, and is impatient, and is mixed in, or mingled, with the argument of another man.)

¹⁸As he is guilty, that sendeth spears and arrows into death, (Like he is guilty, who sendeth spears and arrows into uncertainty, causing death,)

¹⁹so a man that harmeth guilefully his friend, and when he is taken, he shall say, I did playing. (is a person who deceitfully harmeth his friend, and when he is caught, he saith, I was just playing.)

²⁰When trees fail or When woods shall fail, the fire shall be quenched; and when a privy backbiter is withdrawn, strives rest. (When there is no more wood, the fire shall be quenched; and when a gossip departeth, or stoppeth speaking, the argument shall be ended.)

²¹As dead coals at quick coals, and trees at the fire, or As dead coals to quick coals, and wood to fire; so a wrathful man (that) raiseth chidings. (Like dead coals to burning coals, and wood to fire, is an angry person who raiseth up arguments, or strife.)

²²The words of a privy backbiter be as simple (or The words of a gossip be tasty); and those come till to the innerest things of the heart.

²³As if thou wouldest adorn a vessel of earth, (that is, a cheap pot made out of clay), with the dross of silver, so be swelling lips fellowshipped with a full wicked heart.

²⁴An enemy is understood by his lips, when he treateth guiles in his heart. (An enemy can be understood by his words, when he treateth deceitfulness in his heart.)

²⁵When he maketh low his voice, believe thou not to him; for seven wickednesses be in his heart.