Proverbs 26 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Proverbs 26 (WEBP)

[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.
[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.
[11] As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
[12] Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
[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.
[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.
[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?”
[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.
[23] Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
[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.
[27] Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
[28] A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Proverbs 26 (KJVS)

[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 mouth 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.

Proverbs 26:5 Heb. his own eyes
Proverbs 26:6 Or, violence
Proverbs 26:7 Heb. are lifted up
Proverbs 26:8 Or, as he that putteth a precious stone in an heap of stones
Proverbs 26:10 Or, a great man grieveth all, and he hireth the fool, he hireth also transgressors
Proverbs 26:11 Heb. iterateth his folly
Proverbs 26:15 Or, he is weary
Proverbs 26:17 Or, is enraged
Proverbs 26:18 Heb. flames or sparks
Proverbs 26:20a Heb. without wood
Proverbs 26:20b Or, whisperer
Proverbs 26:20c Heb. is silent
Proverbs 26:22 Heb. chambers
Proverbs 26:24 Or, is known
Proverbs 26:25 Heb. maketh his voice gracious
Proverbs 26:26 Or, hatred is covered into secret

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Proverbs 26 (BYZ)

[1] Ὥσπερ () δρόσος ἐν () ἀμήτῳ καὶ () ὥσπερ () ὑετὸς () ἐν () θέρει, () οὕτως () οὐκ () ἔστιν () ἄφρονι () τιμή. ()
[2] Ὥσπερ () ὄρνεα () πέταται καὶ () στρουθοί, οὕτως () ἀρὰ () ματαία () οὐκ () ἐπελεύσεται () οὐδενί. ()
[3] Ὥσπερ () μάστιξ () ἵππῳ () καὶ () κέντρον () ὄνῳ, () οὕτως () ῥάβδος () ἔθνει () παρανόμῳ.
[4] Μὴ () ἀποκρίνου () ἄφρονι () πρὸς () τὴν () ἐκείνου () ἀφροσύνην, () ἵνα () μὴ () ὅμοιος () γένῃ () αὐτῷ· ()
[5] ἀλλὰ () ἀποκρίνου () ἄφρονι () κατὰ () τὴν () ἀφροσύνην () αὐτοῦ, () ἵνα () μὴ () φαίνηται () σοφὸς () παρ’ () ἑαυτῷ. ()
[6] Ἐκ () τῶν () ἑαυτοῦ () ποδῶν () ὄνειδος () πίεται () ὁ () ἀποστείλας () δι’ () ἀγγέλου () ἄφρονος () λόγον. ()
[7] Ἀφελοῦ () πορείαν () σκελῶν () καὶ () παροιμίαν () ἐκ () στόματος () ἀφρόνων. ()
[8] Ὃς () ἀποδεσμεύει λίθον () ἐν () σφενδόνῃ, ὅμοιός () ἐστιν () τῷ () διδόντι () ἄφρονι () δόξαν. ()
[9] Ἄκανθαι () φύονται () ἐν () χειρὶ () τοῦ () μεθύσου, () δουλεία () δὲ () ἐν () χειρὶ () τῶν () ἀφρόνων. ()
[10] Πολλὰ () χειμάζεται () πᾶσα () σὰρξ () ἀφρόνων· () συντρίβεται () γὰρ () ἡ () ἔκστασις () αὐτῶν. ()
[11] Ὥσπερ () κύων () ὅταν () ἐπέλθῃ () ἐπὶ () τὸν () ἑαυτοῦ () ἔμετον καὶ () μισητὸς γένηται, () οὕτως () ἄφρων () τῇ () ἑαυτοῦ () κακίᾳ () ἀναστρέψας () ἐπὶ () τὴν () ἑαυτοῦ () ἁμαρτίαν. () ἔστιν () αἰσχύνη () ἐπάγουσα () ἁμαρτίαν, () καὶ () ἔστιν () αἰσχύνη () δόξα () καὶ () χάρις. ()
[12] Εἶδον () ἄνδρα () δόξαντα () παρ’ () ἑαυτῷ () σοφὸν () εἶναι, () ἐλπίδα () μέντοι () ἔσχεν () μᾶλλον () ἄφρων () αὐτοῦ. ()
[13] Λέγει () ὀκνηρὸς () ἀποστελλόμενος () εἰς () ὁδόν () Λέων () ἐν () ταῖς () ὁδοῖς. ()
[14] Ὥσπερ () θύρα () στρέφεται () ἐπὶ () τοῦ () στρόφιγγος, οὕτως () ὀκνηρὸς () ἐπὶ () τῆς () κλίνης () αὐτοῦ. ()
[15] Κρύψας () ὀκνηρὸς () τὴν () χεῖρα () ἐν () τῷ () κόλπῳ () αὐτοῦ () οὐ () δυνήσεται () ἐπενεγκεῖν () ἐπὶ () τὸ () στόμα. ()
[16] Σοφώτερος () ἑαυτῷ () ὀκνηρὸς () φαίνεται () τοῦ () ἐν () πλησμονῇ () ἀποκομίζοντος ἀγγελίαν. ()
[17] Ὥσπερ () ὁ () κρατῶν () κέρκου κυνός, () οὕτως () ὁ () προεστὼς () ἀλλοτρίας () κρίσεως. ()
[18] Ὥσπερ () οἱ () ἰώμενοι () προβάλλουσιν () λόγους () εἰς () ἀνθρώπους, () ὁ () δὲ () ἀπαντήσας () τῷ () λόγῳ () πρῶτος () ὑποσκελισθήσεται,
[19] οὕτως () πάντες () οἱ () ἐνεδρεύοντες () τοὺς () ἑαυτῶν () φίλους, () ὅταν () δὲ () φωραθῶσιν, λέγουσιν () ὅτι () Παίζων () ἔπραξα. ()
[20] Ἐν () πολλοῖς () ξύλοις () θάλλει πῦρ, () ὅπου () δὲ () οὐκ () ἔστιν () δίθυμος, ἡσυχάζει () μάχη. ()
[21] Ἐσχάρα ἄνθραξιν () καὶ () ξύλα () πυρί, () ἀνὴρ () δὲ () λοίδορος () εἰς () ταραχὴν () μάχης. ()
[22] Λόγοι () κερκώπων μαλακοί, () οὗτοι () δὲ () τύπτουσιν () εἰς () ταμίεια () σπλάγχνων. ()
[23] Ἀργύριον () διδόμενον () μετὰ () δόλου () ὥσπερ () ὄστρακον ἡγητέον. Χείλη () λεῖα () καρδίαν () καλύπτει () λυπηράν.
[24] Χείλεσιν () πάντα () ἐπινεύει () ἀποκλαιόμενος ἐχθρός, () ἐν () δὲ () τῇ () καρδίᾳ () τεκταίνεται δόλους· ()
[25] ἐάν () σου () δέηται () ὁ () ἐχθρὸς () μεγάλῃ () τῇ () φωνῇ, () μὴ () πεισθῇς· () ἑπτὰ () γάρ () εἰσιν () πονηρίαι () ἐν () τῇ () ψυχῇ () αὐτοῦ. ()
[26] Ὁ () κρύπτων () ἔχθραν () συνίστησιν () δόλον, () ἐκκαλύπτει δὲ () τὰς () ἑαυτοῦ () ἁμαρτίας () εὔγνωστος ἐν () συνεδρίοις. ()
[27] Ὁ () ὀρύσσων () βόθρον τῷ () πλησίον () ἐμπεσεῖται () εἰς () αὐτόν, () ὁ () δὲ () κυλίων () λίθον () ἐφ’ () ἑαυτὸν () κυλίει. ()
[28] Γλῶσσα () ψευδὴς () μισεῖ () ἀλήθειαν, () στόμα () δὲ () ἄστεγον ποιεῖ () ἀκαταστασίας. ()

Proverbs 26:11 Originally verses 26:11 and 26:11a.

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, LLC, Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.