A Fool Repeats His Foolishness
Almost a catalogue of three types. The fool, who cannot be honored or hired or cured; the lazy man, turning on his bed like a door on its hinges; and the deceiver, who wounds and then says he was only joking. Whoever digs a pit falls in.
26 1Like snow in summer and like rain at harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool. 2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. 3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools. 4Do not answer a fool according to his foolishness, or you yourself will be like him. 5Answer a fool according to his foolishness, or he will be wise in his own eyes. 6Whoever sends a message through a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks down violence. 7Like the legs of a lame man hanging useless is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 8Like binding a stone in a sling is giving honor to a fool. 9Like a thornbush in the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 10Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a fool or hires any passerby. 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. 12Do you see someone wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13The lazy person says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion in the streets!" 14As a door turns on its hinges, so the lazy person turns on his bed. 15The lazy person buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. 16The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes than seven who answer wisely.
17Like grabbing a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18Like a madman shooting firebrands, arrows, and death, 19so is the one who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!"
20Without wood a fire goes out, and without a gossip a quarrel dies down. 21As charcoal to embers and wood to fire, so a quarrelsome person kindles strife. 22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they sink down into the inmost parts.
23Like a glaze covering an earthen pot are smooth lips with an evil heart. 24An enemy disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. 25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. 26Though his hatred is hidden by deceit, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. 27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone rolls back on the one who rolls it. 28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
