The Bible
כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹא־נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּר֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם (לא) [ל֣וֹ] תָבֹֽא׃
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
שׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
אַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּ֥וֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃
Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
כִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־נוֹתֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃
Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃
Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃
Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃
The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃
As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃
The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃
The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־לֽוֹ׃
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
כֵּֽן־אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר הֲֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי׃
so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃
Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ (מדונים) [מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים] לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃
Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
(בשפתו) [בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו] יִנָּכֵ֣ר שׂוֹנֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן ק֭וֹלוֹ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָת֣וֹ בְקָהָֽל׃
Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃
He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.