The chapter opens with an extended cluster about fools. Honor is inappropriate for fools, just as snow in summer or rain in harvest is out of place. An undeserved curse does not come to rest. A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools. The learner is given the famous paired counsel: do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him; answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. Sending a message by a fool is self-harm, and proverbs in the mouth of fools are useless or dangerous. Giving honor to fools is like binding a stone in a sling. A proverb in a fool's mouth is like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand. The section closes by declaring that there is more hope for a fool than for one wise in his own eyes.
1 Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.
3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!
4 Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
Proverbs 26:7
7 Like the legs of the lame that hang loose, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.
Proverbs 26:11
11 As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
Proverbs 26:12
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
The sluggard invents excuses, claiming a lion is in the road or a fierce lion is roaming the streets. Like a door turning on its hinges, the sluggard turns on his bed. He buries his hand in the dish but is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. Yet he considers himself wiser than seven people who answer discreetly. The cluster exposes laziness as self-deceptive, absurd, and resistant to counsel.
Proverbs 26:13
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.
Proverbs 26:15
15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
The learner is warned that meddling in another person's quarrel is like grabbing a stray dog by the ears. Someone who deceives a neighbor and then says, 'I was only joking,' is compared to a maniac shooting flaming arrows and deadly weapons. Reckless speech or deception cannot be excused as humor.
17 Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18 Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”
Without wood a fire goes out, and without gossip a quarrel dies down. As charcoal feeds embers and wood feeds fire, quarrelsome people stir up conflict. Gossip is again compared to choice morsels that go down to the inmost parts. The section teaches that conflict often survives because someone keeps feeding it with words.
20 For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
21 As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.
The chapter closes with warnings against deceptive speech and concealed hatred. Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. Enemies disguise themselves with their lips while harboring deceit. Though their speech is charming, they should not be believed, for seven abominations fill their hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Those who dig pits fall into them, and those who roll stones find them rolling back. A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Proverbs 26:23
23 Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
Proverbs 26:24-26
24 A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.
25 When his speech is charming, don’t believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Proverbs 26:27
27 Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
Proverbs 26:28
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.