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The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

Proverbschapter 26

28 verses · Solomon and others · 10th to 5th century BC · Wisdom and poetry

The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

The line breaks below follow the poem's own punctuation. The section titles are this site's own.

A.Answer a Fool According to His Folly: and Answer Him Notvv. 1-12

Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.

Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.

Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.

Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.

Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?There is more hope for a fool than for him.

B.The Sluggard: There Is a Lion in the Wayvv. 13-16

The slacker says, “A lion is in the road!A fierce lion roams the public square!”

As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.

The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

C.Where No Wood Is, the Fire Goeth Outvv. 17-28

Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,

so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.

Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.

Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.

A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.

When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.

Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

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