CHAPTER 26
1 As snow in summer, and rain in harvest; so glory is unseemly to a fool.
2 For as a bird flying over to high things, and as a sparrow going into uncertain; so cursing brought forth without reasonable cause shall come above into some man.
3 Beating be to an horse, and a bridle to an ass; and a rod to the back of unprudent men.
4 Answer thou not to a fool after his folly, lest thou be made like him.
5 Answer thou a fool after his folly, lest he seem to himself to be wise.
6 An halting man in feet, and drinking wickedness, he that sendeth words by a fond [or foolish] messenger.
7 As an halting man hath fair legs in vain; so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.
8 As he that sendeth a stone into the broad place of the sling; so he that giveth honour to an unwise man.
9 As if a thorn groweth in the hand of a drunken man; so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 Doom determineth causes; and he that setteth silence to a fool, assuageth ires [or wraths].
11 As a dog that turneth again to his spewing [or As an hound that turneth again to his vomit]; so is an unprudent man, that rehearseth his folly.
12 Thou hast seen a man seem wise to himself; an unknowing man shall have hope more than he.
13 A slow man saith, A lion is in the way, a lioness is in the footpaths.
14 As a door is turned in his hinges; so a slow man in his bed.
15 A slow man hideth his hands under his armpit; and he travaileth, if he turneth them up to his mouth.
16 A slow man seemeth wiser to himself, than seven men speaking sentences.
17 As he that taketh a dog by the ears; so he that passeth, and is unpatient, and is meddled [or mingled] with the chiding of another man.
18 As he is guilty, that sendeth spears and arrows into death,
19 so a man that annoyeth guilefully his friend, and when he is taken, he shall say, I did playing.
20 When trees [or woods shall] fail, the fire shall be quenched; and when a privy backbiter is withdrawn, strives rest.
21 As dead coals at [or to] quick coals, and trees at the fire [or wood to fire]; so a wrathful man raiseth chidings.
22 The words of a privy backbiter be as simple; and those [or they] come till to the innerest things of the heart.
23 As if thou wouldest adorn a vessel of earth with the dross of silver, so be swelling lips fellowshipped with a full wicked heart.
24 An enemy is understood by his lips, when he treateth guiles in his heart.
25 When he maketh low his voice, believe thou not to him; for seven wickednesses be in his heart.
26 The malice of him that covereth hatred guilefully, shall be showed in a council.
27 He that delveth a ditch, shall fall into it; and if a man walloweth a stone, it shall turn again to him.
28 A false tongue loveth not [the] truth; and a slippery mouth worketh fallings.