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Similitudes, Instructions

¹ Like snow in summer and like ^(C1)rain in harvest,
So honor is not ^(C2)fitting for a fool.

² Like a ^(C1)sparrow in its ^(F1)flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
So a ^(C2)curse without cause does not ^(F2)alight.

³ A ^(C1)whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a ^(C2)rod for the back of fools.

^4 (C1)Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Or you will also be like him.

^5 (C1)Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be ^(C2)wise in his own eyes.

⁶ He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.

⁷ Like the legs which ^(F1)are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

⁸ Like ^(F1)one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives honor to a fool.

⁹ Like a thorn which ^(F1)falls into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

^10 (F1)Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.

¹¹ Like ^(C1)a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who ^(C2)repeats ^(F1)his folly.

¹² Do you see a man ^(C1)wise in his own eyes?
^(C2)There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³ The ^(C1)sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road!
A lion is ^(F1)in the open square!"

¹⁴ As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the ^(C1)sluggard on his bed.

¹⁵ The ^(C1)sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.

¹⁶ The sluggard is ^(C1)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can ^(F1)give a discreet answer.

¹⁷ Like one who takes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and ^(F1)meddles with ^(C1)strife not belonging to him.

¹⁸ Like a madman who throws
^(C1)Firebrands, arrows and death,

¹⁹ So is the man who ^(C1)deceives his neighbor,
And says, "^(C2)Was I not joking?"

²⁰ For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no ^(C1)whisperer, ^(C2)contention quiets down.

²¹ Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a ^(C1)contentious man to kindle strife.

²² The ^(C1)words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the ^(F1)innermost parts of the body.

²³ Like an earthen ^(C1)vessel overlaid with silver ^(C2)dross
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.

²⁴ He who ^(C1)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up ^(C2)deceit in his ^(F1)heart.

²⁵ When ^(F1)he ^(C1)speaks graciously, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.

²⁶ Though his hatred ^(C1)covers itself with guile,
His wickedness will be ^(C2)revealed before the assembly.

²⁷ He who ^(C1)digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates ^(F1)those it crushes,
And a ^(C1)flattering mouth works ruin.