Proverbs 26

Authored by: Traditional
26:1
כַּשֶּׁלֶג בַּקַּיִץ וְכַמָּטָר בַּקָּצִיר כֵּן לֹא־נָאוֶה לִכְסִיל כָּבוֹד׃
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour is not seemly for a fool.
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26:2
כַּצִּפּוֹר לָנוּד כַּדְּרוֹר לָעוּף כֵּן קִלְלַת חִנָּם לא [לוֹ] תָבֹא׃
As the wandering sparrow, as the flying swallow, So the curse that is causeless shall come home. .
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26:3
שׁוֹט לַסּוּס מֶתֶג לַחֲמוֹר וְשֵׁבֶט לְגֵו כְּסִילִים׃
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
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26:4
אַל־תַּעַן כְּסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּוֹ גַם־אָתָּה׃
Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him.
2
26:5
עֲנֵה כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶה חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו׃
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
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26:6
מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד־כְּסִיל׃
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh damage.
1
26:7
דַּלְיוּ שֹׁקַיִם מִפִּסֵּחַ וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִים׃
The legs hang limp from the lame; So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
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26:8
כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן־נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבוֹד׃
As a small stone in a heap of stones, So is he that giveth honour to a fool.
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26:9
חוֹחַ עָלָה בְיַד־שִׁכּוֹר וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִים׃
As a thorn that cometh into the hand of a drunkard, So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
1
26:10
רַב מְחוֹלֵל־כֹּל וְשֹׂכֵר כְּסִיל וְשֹׂכֵר עֹבְרִים׃
A master performeth all things; But he that stoppeth a fool is as one that stoppeth a flood.
1
26:11
כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל־קֵאוֹ כְּסִיל שׁוֹנֶה בְאִוַּלְתּוֹ׃
As a dog that returneth to his vomit, So is a fool that repeateth his folly.
26:12
רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּנּוּ׃
Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
26:13
אָמַר עָצֵל שַׁחַל בַּדָּרֶךְ אֲרִי בֵּין הָרְחֹבוֹת׃
The sluggard saith: ‘There is a lion in the way; Yea, a lion is in the streets.’
26:14
הַדֶּלֶת תִּסּוֹב עַל־צִירָהּ וְעָצֵל עַל־מִטָּתוֹ׃
The door is turning upon its hinges, And the sluggard is still upon his bed.
26:15
טָמַן עָצֵל יָדוֹ בַּצַּלָּחַת נִלְאָה לַהֲשִׁיבָהּ אֶל־פִּיו׃
The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; It wearieth him to bring it back to his mouth.
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26:16
חָכָם עָצֵל בְּעֵינָיו מִשִּׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טָעַם׃
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men that give wise answer.
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26:17
מַחֲזִיק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָלֶב עֹבֵר מִתְעַבֵּר עַל־רִיב לֹּא־לוֹ׃
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife not his own, Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
1
26:18
כְּמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים חִצִּים וָמָוֶת׃
As a madman who casteth firebrands, Arrows, and death;
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26:19
כֵּן־אִישׁ רִמָּה אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְאָמַר הֲ‍לֹא־מְשַׂחֵק אָנִי׃
So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, And saith: ‘Am not I in sport?’
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26:20
בְּאֶפֶס עֵצִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵשׁ וּבְאֵין נִרְגָּן יִשְׁתֹּק מָדוֹן׃
Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
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26:21
פֶּחָם לְגֶחָלִים וְעֵצִים לְאֵשׁ וְאִישׁ מדונים [מִדְיָנִים] לְחַרְחַר־רִיב׃
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
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26:22
דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָטֶן׃
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
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26:23
כֶּסֶף סִיגִים מְצֻפֶּה עַל־חָרֶשׂ שְׂפָתַיִם דֹּלְקִים וְלֶב־רָע׃
Burning lips and a wicked heart Are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
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26:24
בשפתו [בִּשְׂפָתָיו] יִנָּכֵר שׂוֹנֵא וּבְקִרְבּוֹ יָשִׁית מִרְמָה׃
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, But he layeth up deceit within him.
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26:25
כִּי־יְחַנֵּן קוֹלוֹ אַל־תַּאֲמֶן־בּוֹ כִּי שֶׁבַע תּוֹעֵבוֹת בְּלִבּוֹ׃
When he speaketh fair, Believe him not; For there are seven abominations in his heart.
26:26
תִּכַּסֶּה שִׂנְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאוֹן תִּגָּלֶה רָעָתוֹ בְקָהָל׃
Though his hatred be concealed with deceit, His wickedness shall be revealed before the congregation.
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26:27
כֹּרֶה־שַּׁחַת בָּהּ יִפֹּל וְגֹלֵל אֶבֶן אֵלָיו תָּשׁוּב׃
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; And he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
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26:28
לְשׁוֹן־שֶׁקֶר יִשְׂנָא דַכָּיו וּפֶה חָלָק יַעֲשֶׂה מִדְחֶה׃
A lying tongue hateth those that are crushed by it; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
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@67BakingGirl67

Two contradictory instructions, back to back

'Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him' sits directly next to 'answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit,' two seemingly contradictory instructions placed back to back.

Literary
1
@Rashi

Rashi on Proverbs 26:4

<b>Do not answer a fool</b> with words of quarrel and contention lest you become like him.

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