More Solomonic proverbs
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honour is not fitting for a fool. Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools. Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one's feet or drinking poison. Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honour to a fool. Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them. A sluggard says, There's a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets. As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly. Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own. Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbour and says, I was only joking. Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbour deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them. A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honour is not fitting for a fool.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one's feet or drinking poison.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honour to a fool.
As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
A sluggard says, There's a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets.
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
is one who deceives their neighbour and says, I was only joking.
So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbour deceit.
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.