[1] Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is
not natural for the foolish. [2] As the sparrow in her wandering and the
swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause. [3] A
whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the
foolish. [4] Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will
be like him. [5] Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise
to himself. [6] He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting
off his feet and drinking in damage. [7] The legs of one who has no power
of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the
foolish. [8] Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a
stone fixed in a cord. [9] Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a
man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.
[10] Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by
drink. [11] Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to
keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again. [12] Have
you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the
foolish than for him. [13] The hater of work says, There is a lion in the
way; a lion is in the streets. [14] A door is turned on its pillar, and the
hater of work on his bed. [15] The hater of work puts his hand deep into
the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him. [16] The
hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an
answer with good sense. [17] He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not
his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.
[18] As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of
death, [19] So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit,
and says, Am I not doing so in sport? [20] Without wood, the fire goes out;
and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended. [21] Like breath on
coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
[22] The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like
sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach. [23] Smooth
lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
[24] With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but
deceit is stored up inside him; [25] When he says fair words, have no
belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils: [26] Though his hate is
covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the
people. [27] He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into
it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.
[28] A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth
mouth is a cause of falling.