1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.

1 כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹא־נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֹֽוד׃

2 As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.

2 כַּצִּפֹּ֣ור לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּרֹ֣ור לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם לֹא לֹ֣ו תָבֹֽא׃

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

3 שֹׁ֣וט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמֹ֑ור וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

4 אַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתֹּ֑ו פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לֹּ֥ו גַם־אָֽתָּה׃

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

5 עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתֹּ֑ו פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh damage.

6 מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃

7 The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

7 דַּלְי֣וּ קַיִם³ מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

8 As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

8 כִּצְרֹ֣ור אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־נֹותֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֹֽוד׃

9 [As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

9 חֹ֭וחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכֹּ֑ור וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

10 A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.

10 רַ֥ב מְחֹֽולֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃

11 As a dog turneth back to its vomit, [so] a fool repeateth his folly.

11 כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵאֹ֑ו כְּ֝סִ֗יל שֹׁונֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתֹּֽו׃

12 Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

12 רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

13 The sluggard saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!

13 אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֹֽות׃

14 [As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so the sluggard upon his bed.

14 הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסֹּ֣וב עַל־צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־מִטָּתֹֽו׃

15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.

15 טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דֹו בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃

16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven [men] that answer discreetly.

16 חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃

17 He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.

17 מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־לֹֽו׃

18 As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,

18 כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃

19 so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?

19 כֵּֽן־אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר הֲ‍ֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי׃

20 Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.

20 בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֹֽון׃

21 [As] coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.

21 פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ מִדֹונִים מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃

22 The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

22 דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

23 Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are [as] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

23 כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃

24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him:

24 בִּשְׂפָתֹו בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו יִנָּכֵ֣ר שֹׂונֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבֹּ֗ו יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃

25 when his voice is gracious, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

25 כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן קֹ֭ולֹו³ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בֹּ֑ו כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תֹּועֵבֹ֣ות בְּלִבֹּֽו׃

26 Though [his] hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.

26 תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאֹ֑ון תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָתֹ֣ו בְקָהָֽל׃

27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.

27 כֹּֽרֶהשַּ֭־חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

28 A lying tongue hateth those that are injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

28 לְֽשֹׁוןשֶ֭־קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃