1 Expecting snow in summerand rain in the dry seasonmakes more sensethan honoring a fool.
2 A curse you don't deservewill take wings and fly awaylike a sparrow or a swallow.
3 Horses and donkeysmust be beaten and bridled—and so must fools.
4 Don't make a fool of yourselfby answering a fool.
5 But if you answer any fools,show how foolish they are,so they won't feel smart.
6 Sending a message by a foolis like chopping off your footjust to spite yourself.
7 A fool with words of wisdomis like an athletewith legs that can't move.
8 Are you going to honor a fool?Why not shoot a slingshotwith the rock tied tight?
9 A thornbush waved aroundin the hand of a drunkardis no worse than a proverbin the mouth of a fool.
10 It's no smarter to shoot arrowsat every passerbythan it is to hire a bunchof worthless nobodies.
11 Dogs return to eat their vomit,just as fools repeattheir foolishness.
12 There is more hope for a foolthan for someone who says,“I'm really smart!”
13 Don't be lazy and keep saying,“There's a lion outside!”
14 A door turns on its hinges,but a lazy personjust turns over in bed.
15 Some of us are so lazythat we won't lift a handto feed ourselves.
16 A lazy person says,“I am smarterthan everyone else.”
17 It's better to take holdof a mad dog by the earsthan to take partin someone else's argument.
18 It's no crazier to shootsharp and flaming arrows
19 than to cheat someone and say,“I was only fooling!”
20 Where there is no fuela fire goes out;where there is no gossiparguments come to an end.
21 Troublemakers start trouble,just as sparks and fuelstart a fire.
22 There is nothing so deliciousas the taste of gossip!It melts in your mouth.
23 Hiding hateful thoughtsbehind smooth talkis like coating a clay potwith a cheap glaze.
24 The pleasant talkof an enemyhides more evil plans
25 than can be counted—so don't believe a word!
26 Everyone will see throughthose evil plans.
27 If you dig a pit,you will fall in;if you start a stone rolling,it will roll back on you.
28 Watch out for anyonewho tells lies and flatters—they are out to get you.