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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Proverbs 26 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/proverbs/26.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/proverbs/26-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Proverbs 26</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../proverbs/25.htm" title="Proverbs 25">◄</a> Proverbs 26 <a href="../proverbs/27.htm" title="Proverbs 27">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Don't Be a Fool</h3><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_1"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.1" class="v20_26_1">1</span>Expecting snow in summer</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_1">and rain in the dry season</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_1">makes more sense</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_1">than honoring a fool.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_2"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.2" class="v20_26_2">2</span>A curse you don't deserve</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_2">will take wings and fly away</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_2">like a sparrow or a swallow.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_3"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.3" class="v20_26_3">3</span>Horses and donkeys</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_3">must be beaten and bridled—</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_3">and so must fools.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_4"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.4" class="v20_26_4">4</span>Don't make a fool of yourself</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_4">by answering a fool.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_5"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.5" class="v20_26_5">5</span>But if you answer any fools,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_5">show how foolish they are,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_5">so they won't feel smart.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_6"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.6" class="v20_26_6">6</span>Sending a message by a fool</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_6">is like chopping off your foot</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_6">just to spite yourself.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_7"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.7" class="v20_26_7">7</span>A fool with words of wisdom</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_7">is like an athlete</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_7">with legs that can't move.<a href="#fn" id="link_Prov.26.7!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_8"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.8" class="v20_26_8">8</span>Are you going to honor a fool?</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_8">Why not shoot a slingshot</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_8">with the rock tied tight?</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_9"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.9" class="v20_26_9">9</span>A thornbush waved around</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_9">in the hand of a drunkard</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_9">is no worse than a proverb</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_9">in the mouth of a fool.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_10"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.10" class="v20_26_10">10</span>It's no smarter to shoot arrows</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_10">at every passerby</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_10">than it is to hire a bunch</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_10">of worthless nobodies.<a href="#fn" id="link_Prov.26.10!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_11"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.11" class="v20_26_11">11</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Prov.26.11!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Dogs return to eat their vomit,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_11">just as fools repeat</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_11">their foolishness.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_12"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.12" class="v20_26_12">12</span>There is more hope for a fool</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_12">than for someone who says,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_12">“I'm really smart!”</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_13"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.13" class="v20_26_13">13</span>Don't be lazy and keep saying,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_13">“There's a lion outside!”</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_14"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.14" class="v20_26_14">14</span>A door turns on its hinges,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_14">but a lazy person</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_14">just turns over in bed.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_15"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.15" class="v20_26_15">15</span>Some of us are so lazy</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_15">that we won't lift a hand</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_15">to feed ourselves.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_16"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.16" class="v20_26_16">16</span>A lazy person says,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_16">“I am smarter</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_16">than everyone else.”</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_17"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.17" class="v20_26_17">17</span>It's better to take hold</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_17">of a mad dog by the ears</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_17">than to take part</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_17">in someone else's argument.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_18"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.18" class="v20_26_18">18</span>It's no crazier to shoot</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_18">sharp and flaming arrows</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_19"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.19" class="v20_26_19">19</span>than to cheat someone and say,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_19">“I was only fooling!”</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_20"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.20" class="v20_26_20">20</span>Where there is no fuel</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_20">a fire goes out;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_20">where there is no gossip</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_20">arguments come to an end.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_21"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.21" class="v20_26_21">21</span>Troublemakers start trouble,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_21">just as sparks and fuel</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_21">start a fire.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_22"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.22" class="v20_26_22">22</span>There is nothing so delicious</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_22">as the taste of gossip!</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_22">It melts in your mouth.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_23"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.23" class="v20_26_23">23</span>Hiding hateful thoughts</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_23">behind smooth<a href="#fn" id="link_Prov.26.23!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> talk</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_23">is like coating a clay pot</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_23">with a cheap glaze.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_24"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.24" class="v20_26_24">24</span>The pleasant talk</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_24">of an enemy</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_24">hides more evil plans</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_25"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.25" class="v20_26_25">25</span>than can be counted—</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_25">so don't believe a word!</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_26"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.26" class="v20_26_26">26</span>Everyone will see through</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_26">those evil plans.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_27"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.27" class="v20_26_27">27</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Prov.26.27!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> If you dig a pit,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_27">you will fall in;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_27">if you start a stone rolling,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_27">it will roll back on you.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_28"><span class="reftext" id="Prov.26.28" class="v20_26_28">28</span>Watch out for anyone</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v20_26_28">who tells lies and flatters—</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v20_26_28">they are out to get you.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">26.7 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">with … move: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">26.10 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">nobodies: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 10.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">26.23 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">smooth: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One ancient translation; Hebrew “hateful.”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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