| kjv | web | basic | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool. | Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. | Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish. | ||
| 2. | As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. | Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn't come to rest. | 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 bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. | A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools! | A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish. | ||
| 4. | Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. | Don't answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. | Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him. | ||
| 5. | Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. | Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. | Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself. | ||
| 6. | He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage. | One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence. | He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage. | ||
| 7. | The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. | Like the legs of the lame that hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. | 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. | As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. | As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool. | Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a stone fixed in a cord. | ||
| 9. | As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. | Like a thornbush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. | 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. | The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. | As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by. | Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink. | ||
| 11. | As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. | As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly. | 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. | Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. | Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. | Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him. | ||
| 13. | The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. | The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!" | The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. | ||
| 14. | As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. | As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed. | A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed. | ||
| 15. | The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. | The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. | The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him. | ||
| 16. | The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. | The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion. | The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense. | ||
| 17. | He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. | Like one who grabs a dog's ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own. | 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 a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, | Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death, | As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death, | ||
| 19. | So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? | is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "Am I not joking?" | So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport? | ||
| 20. | Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. | For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down. | Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended. | ||
| 21. | As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. | As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife. | Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started. | ||
| 22. | The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. | The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts. | 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. | Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. | Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart. | Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste. | ||
| 24. | He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; | A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart. | With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him; | ||
| 25. | When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. | When his speech is charming, don't believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart. | When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils: | ||
| 26. | Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. | His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. | Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people. | ||
| 27. | Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. | Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him. | 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 lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. | A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin. | A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling. | ||