As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
So honor is not seemly for a fool.
As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying,
So the curse that is causeless {Hebrew: cometh not.}alighteth not.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
And a rod for the back of fools.
Answer not a fool according to his folly,
Lest thou also be like unto him.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in {Hebrew: his own eyes.}his own conceit.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool
Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage.
The legs of the lame hang loose;
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
As one that bindeth a stone in a sling,
So is he that giveth honor to a fool.
As a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
{Or, A master worker formeth all things; But he that hireth the fool is as one that hireth them that pass by The Hebrew text is obscure.}As an archer that woundeth all,
So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
As a dog that returneth to his vomit,
So is a fool that repeateth his folly.
Seest thou a man wise in {Hebrew: his own eyes.}his own conceit?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.
The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way;
A lion is in the streets.
As the door turneth upon its hinges,
So doth the sluggard upon his bed.
The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish;
It wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
The sluggard is wiser in {Hebrew: his own eyes.}his own conceit
Than seven men that can {Or, answer discreetly}render a reason.
{Or, He that rexeth himself…is like one that taketh a passing dog &c.}He that passeth by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him,
Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
As a madman who casteth firebrands,
Arrows, and death,
So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor,
And saith, Am not I in sport?
For lack of wood the fire goeth out;
And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to inflame strife.
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts.
Fervent lips and a wicked heart
Are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips;
But he layeth up deceit within him:
When he speaketh fair, believe him not;
For there are seven abominations in his heart:
Though his hatred cover itself with guile,
His wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly.
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein;
And he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
A lying tongue hateth those whom it hath {Hebrew: crushed.}wounded;
And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Querverweise zu Sprüche 26,2 Spr 26,2
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?
because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt, and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of {Hebrew: Aram-naharaim.}Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
Nevertheless Jehovah thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but Jehovah thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because Jehovah thy God loved thee.
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint.
Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done unto me, and that Jehovah will requite me good for his cursing of me this day.
because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
Let them curse, but bless thou:When they arise, they shall be put to shame,But thy servant shall rejoice.