Proverbs 26:4-22

⁴Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him — even thou.

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

⁶He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.

⁷Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

⁸As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So is he who is giving honour to a fool.

⁹A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰Great is the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.

¹¹As a dog hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.

¹²Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!

¹³The slothful hath said, 'A lion is in the way, A lion is in the broad places.'

¹⁴The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.

¹⁵The slothful hath hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.

¹⁶Wiser is the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven men returning a reason.

¹⁷Laying hold on the ears of a dog, Is a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.

¹⁸As one pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,

¹⁹So hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, 'Am not I playing?'

²⁰Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,

²¹Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.

²²The words of a tale-bearer are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart.