Proverbs 26:1-28 NIrV

[1] It isn’t proper to honor a foolish person. That’s like having snow in summer or rain at harvest time. [2] A curse given for no reason is like a wandering bird or a flying sparrow. It doesn’t go anywhere. [3] A whip is for a horse, and a harness is for a donkey. And a beating is for the backs of foolish people. [4] Don’t answer a foolish person in keeping with their foolish acts. If you do, you yourself will be just like them. [5] Answer a foolish person in keeping with their foolish acts. If you do not, they will be wise in their own eyes. [6] Sending a message in the hand of a foolish person is like cutting off your feet or drinking poison. [7] A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person is like disabled legs that are useless. [8] Giving honor to a foolish person is like tying a stone in a slingshot. [9] A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person is like a thorn in the hand of someone who is drunk. [10] Anyone who hires a foolish person or someone who is passing by is like a person who shoots arrows at just anybody. [11] Foolish people who do the same foolish things again are like a dog that returns to where it has thrown up. [12] Do you see a person who is wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a foolish person than for them. [13] A person who doesn’t want to work says, “There’s a lion in the road! There’s an angry lion wandering in the streets!” [14] A person who doesn’t want to work turns over in bed just like a door that swings back and forth. [15] A person who doesn’t want to work leaves his hand in his plate. He acts as if he is too tired to bring his hand back up to his mouth. [16] A person who doesn’t want to work is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who give careful answers. [17] Don’t be quick to get mixed up in someone else’s fight. That’s like grabbing a stray dog by its ears. [18] Suppose a crazy person shoots flaming arrows that can kill. [19] Someone who lies to their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” is just like that crazy person. [20] If you don’t have wood, your fire goes out. If you don’t talk about others, arguing dies down. [21] Coal glows, and wood burns. And a person who argues stirs up conflict. [22] The words of anyone who talks about others are like tasty bites of food. They go deep down inside you. [23] Warm words that come from an evil heart are like a shiny coating on a clay pot. [24] Enemies use their words as a mask. They hide their evil plans in their hearts. [25] Even though what they say can be charming, don’t believe them. That’s because seven things God hates fill that person’s heart. [26] Their hatred can be hidden by lies. But their evil plans will be shown to everyone. [27] Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. If someone rolls a big stone, it will roll back on them. [28] A tongue that tells lies hates the people it hurts. And words that seem to praise you destroy you.