1Like snow in summer, and like rain at harvest time, honour does not suit a fool.
2Like the bird that flits away, like the swallow in flight, so a curse without cause does not land.
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.
4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.
5Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will think himself wise.
6Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks down trouble.
7The legs of a lame man hang useless. So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8Like tying a stone into a sling, so is giving honour to a fool.
9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunk man, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10The great God who formed all things pays back the fool, and pays back those who break his law.
11As a dog goes back to its vomit, so a fool goes back to his folly.
12Do you see a man who thinks himself wise? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13The lazy man says, "There is a lion in the road. A lion is in the streets."
14As a door turns on its hinges, so the lazy man turns on his bed.
15The lazy man buries his hand in the dish. It wears him out to lift it back to his mouth.
16The sluggard thinks himself wiser than seven men who can give a good answer.
17Whoever passes by and gets mixed up in a quarrel that is not his is like a man who grabs a dog by the ears.
18Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows and death,
19so is the man who tricks his neighbour and says, "I was only joking."
20Where there is no wood, the fire goes out. Where there is no gossip, the quarrel stops.
21As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22The words of a gossip are like tasty bites. They go down into the deepest parts of the body.
23Warm lips with an evil heart are like a piece of clay pot coated with the waste of silver.
24A man who hates covers it up with his lips, but he stores up deceit inside him.
25When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, for there are seven hateful things in his heart.
26His hatred may be hidden by deceit, but his wickedness will be shown to the whole assembly.
27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. If a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.
28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth brings ruin.