¹ As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

² As the bird by wandering,

as the swallow by flying,

so the curse causeless shall not come.

³ A whip for the horse,

a bridle for the ass,

and a rod for the fool's back.

⁴ Answer not a fool according to his folly,

lest thou also be like unto him.

⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be wise in his own conceit.

⁶ He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet,

and drinketh damage.

⁷ The legs of the lame are not equal:

so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

⁸ As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

⁹ As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,

so is a parable in the mouths of fools.

¹⁰ The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool,

and rewardeth transgressors.

¹¹ As a dog returneth to his vomit,

so a fool returneth to his folly.

¹² Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?

there is more hope of a fool than of him.

¹³ The slothful man saith,

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.

¹⁵ The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom;

it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

¹⁷ He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

¹⁸ As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,

¹⁹ So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour,

and saith,

Am not I in sport?

²⁰ Where no wood is,

there the fire goeth out:

so where there is no talebearer,

the strife ceaseth.

²¹ As coals are to burning coals,

and wood to fire;

so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

²² The words of a talebearer are as wounds,

and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

²³ Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

²⁴ He that hateth dissembleth with his lips,

and layeth up deceit within him;

²⁵ When he speaketh fair,

believe him not:

for there are seven abominations in his heart.

²⁶ Whose hatred is covered by deceit,

his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

²⁷ Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein:

and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

²⁸ A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it;

and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

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