Answer not a fool according to his folly, Answer a fool according to his folly, He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool The legs of the lame are not equal: As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, The great God that formed all things As a dog returneth to his vomit, Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; As the door turneth upon his hinges, The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belong- As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: So where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; The words of a talebearer are as wounds, Burning lips and a wicked heart Are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, Whose hatred is covered by deceit, His wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: And he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin. Boast not thyself of to morrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Let anotherman praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. As a bird that wandereth from her nest, Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: So doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; Neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: For better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off. My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, A prudent man foreseeth the evil,and hideth himself; Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, A continual dropping in a very rainy day Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: So he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured. As in water face answereth to face, Hell and destruction are never full; As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, And herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, And the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, |