Proverbs

Similitudes and Instructions

1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,honor does not befit a fool.

2Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow,an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,and a rod for the backs of fools!

4Do not answer a fool according to his folly,or you yourself will be like him.

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

6Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violenceis the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.

7Like lame legs hanging limpis a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8Like binding a stone into a slingis the giving of honor to a fool.

9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkardis a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

10Like an archer who wounds at randomis he who hires a fool or passerby.

11As a dog returns to its vomit,so a fool repeats his folly.

12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13The slacker says, “A lion is in the road!A fierce lion roams the public square!”

14As a door turns on its hinges,so the slacker turns on his bed.

15The slacker buries his hand in the dish;it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

16The slacker is wiser in his own eyesthan seven men who answer discreetly.

17Like one who grabs a dog by the earsis a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

18Like a madman shooting firebrandsand deadly arrows,

19so is the man who deceives his neighborand says, “I was only joking!”

20Without wood, a fire goes out;without gossip, a conflict ceases.

21Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire,so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

22The words of a gossip are like choice morselsthat go down into the inmost being.

23Like glaze covering an earthen vesselare burninglips and a wicked heart.

24A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.

25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him,for seven abominations fill his heart.

26Though his hatred is concealed by deception,his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27He who digs a pit will fall into it,and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

28A lying tongue hates those it crushes,and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

1quyền cao chức trọng đâu hợp với kẻ ngu si.

2lời nguyền rủa vô cớ cũng chẳng đi tới đâu.

3đòn vọt dành cho lưng đứa ngu xuẩn.

4kẻo chính con cũng lại giống nó thôi.

5kẻo nó cứ tưởng là nó khôn.

6và gánh lấy biết bao tai hoạ.

7thì cũng như anh què đi khập khiễng.

8chẳng khác chi cột sỏi vào ná bắn.

9chẳng khác gì kẻ say vung cành gai mà múa.

10gây thương tích cho mọi người qua lại.

11đứa ngu lặp lại chuyện ngu đần.

12thì thà hy vọng vào đứa ngu còn hơn.

13nơi quảng trường có chúa sơn lâm.”

14đứa lười lăn trên giường.

15nhưng chẳng buồn đưa thức ăn lên miệng.

16mình khôn hơn bảy người có tài đối đáp.

17khác nào kéo tai chó chạy rông.

18phóng lửa, bắn tên gây chết chóc.

19Kẻ lừa đảo bạn bè, rồi bảo : “Đùa đấy thôi !”

20hết kẻ mách lẻo thì cũng bớt đôi co.

21kẻ hay gây gổ khiến cãi cọ bùng lên.

22trôi xuống tận ruột gan.

23chẳng khác nào bạc cặn dát trên đồ gốm.

24nhưng thâm tâm vẫn đặt chuyện lọc lừa.

25vì lòng nó chứa đầy chuyện ghê tởm.

26nhưng ác tâm của nó bị đại hội vạch trần.

27người lăn đá lại bị đá đè.

28miệng ngọt xớt gây đổ vỡ nát tan.