Proverbs

¹In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish. ↗

²Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away. ↗

³A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent. ↗

⁴Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him. ↗

⁵Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise. ↗

⁶Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity. ↗

⁷In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish. ↗

⁸Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish. ↗

⁹In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish. ↗

¹⁰Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger. ↗

¹¹Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness. ↗

¹²Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him. ↗

¹³The lazy one says, ”There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.“ ↗

¹⁴Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed. ↗

¹⁵The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth. ↗

¹⁶The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments. ↗

¹⁷Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another. ↗

¹⁸Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death, ↗

¹⁹so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, ”I did it jokingly.“ ↗

²⁰When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled. ↗

²¹Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels. ↗

²²The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self. ↗

²³In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart. ↗

²⁴An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit. ↗

²⁵When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart. ↗

²⁶Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly. ↗

²⁷Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him. ↗

²⁸A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin. ↗