כַּשֶּׁלֶג בַּקַּיִץ וְכַמָּטָר בַּקָּצִיר כֵּן לֹא־נָאוֶה לִכְסִיל כָּבוֹד

Like snow that comes in the summer and like rain that falls during the harvest, bizarre occurrences that are not in accordance with the proper order of nature cause general discomfort, and are even harmful to crops, so is honor not fitting for a fool.

כַּצִּפּוֹר לָנוּד כַּדְּרוֹר לָעוּף כֵּן קִלְלַת חִנָּם לוֹ תָבֹא

Like the bird wandering, and like the swallow flying,which eventually return to the nests they left, so the pointless curse, a curse uttered without reason, will come only upon him [lo], the one who curses. It will not cause harm to another person. The translation follows the vocalization of the word lo, lamed-vav, as prescribed by the oral tradition. According to the Masoretic spelling of the word, lamed-alef, the end of the verse would mean: “So the pointless curse will not come about.”

שׁוֹט לַסּוּס מֶתֶג לַחֲמוֹר וְשֵׁבֶט לְגֵו כְּסִילִים

A whip is designed for striking the horse, a bit for leading the donkey, and a rod for hitting the back, or body, of fools. The rod is the most effective implement for the education of fools.

אַל־תַּעַן כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־תִּשְׁוֶה לּוֹ גַם־אָתָּה

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, in the same manner that he speaks, lest you too come to resemble him. When you argue with him, you will necessarily converse in his language and style.

עֲנֵה כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶה חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו

Surprisingly, this aphorism is the reverse of the previous one: Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes. If you do not respond to him in a way that he can understand, he will imagine that he is clever and that he has won the argument. It would seem from the contradictory nature of these aphorisms that no single solution is always effective in dealing with fools. On the one hand, one who responds to them becomes similar to them; on the other hand, if they are left to talk unchallenged, they will appear justified.

מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד־כְּסִיל

He who sends things by the hand of a fool cuts off his feet and drinks rancor, anger or injustice. Some explain that a mission through the agency of a fool is a self-negating act, comparable to one who sends a messenger while cutting off his feet and thereby incapacitating him. Furthermore, the sender himself is hurt as well, as the outcome will not be to his liking: The fool will not reach his destination at all, or at the very least, the mission will not be performed properly.

דַּלְיוּ שֹׁקַיִם מִפִּסֵּחַ ומָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִים

As calves protrude from the lame, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. Since the calves of a lame person are improperly positioned, they appear to protrude and seem bent and twisted. Likewise, even on the rare occasion when a fool attempts to utter a proverb, his statement comes out distorted and inaccurate.

כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבוֹד

Like one who places a pebble in a sling, a device for throwing stones, so is he who gives honor to a fool. It will bring no benefit to anyone, as it is unknown what effect this honor will have and what damage it might cause.

חוֹחַ עָלָה בְיַד־שִׁכּוֹר וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִים

Like a thorn that enters the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. When a drunkard walks, he cannot properly discern objects that lie in his way, and therefore he is liable to grasp onto thorns. Likewise, when a fool relates a proverb or utters a wise statement, he chooses something unsuitable for the time and place. This distorts the wise statement he repeats and can even be somewhat dangerous.

רַב מְחוֹלֵל־כֹּל וְשֹׂכֵר כְּסִיל וְשֹׂכֵר עֹבְרִים

The great man may bring about anything and yet he hires a fool and hires the disobedient. Although the master has many projects, they are not done properly because he hires a fool or the disobedient to do the job.

כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל־קֵאוֹ כְּסִיל שׁוֹנֶה בְאִוַּלְתּוֹ

Like a dog returns to its vomit and attempts to eat it, so a fool repeats his folly, the nonsense he spews, over and over again. In biblical times, dogs frequently rummaged around and searched for food.

רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּנּוּ

Have you seen a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. One’s self-image as a wise person is dangerous, as it holds him back from improving. Consequently, even an actual fool has a greater chance to better himself than such an individual.

אָמַר עָצֵל שַׁחַל בַּדָּרֶךְ אֲרִי בֵּין הָרְחֹבוֹת

The idler says: There is a lion on the way, a lion is wandering in the squares. All the sluggard wants to do is stay at home, and he finds all kinds of excuses to refrain from venturing out into the street.

הַדֶּלֶת תִּסּוֹב עַל־צִירָהּ וְעָצֵל עַל־מִטָּתוֹ

The door turns from side to side on its hinges, and similarly the idler is still turning on his bed, over and again, refusing to budge.

טָמַן עָצֵל יָדוֹ בַּצַּלָּחַת נִלְאָה לַהֲשִׁיבָהּ אֶל־פִּיו

The idler inserts his hand into the dish; he is too weary to return it to his mouth. He is so lazy that he cannot find the strength to finish a task he has begun, not even the basic act of eating, and he ultimately remains hungry.

חָכָם עָצֵל בְּעֵינָיו מִשִּׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טָעַם

The idler is wiser in his own eyes than seven who respond sensibly, who speak words of substance and issue intelligent replies. A lazy person prefers to rest secure in his own wisdom, and he does not even care to consult the many sayings of the wise that are available to him.

מַחֲזִיק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָלֶב עֹבֵר מִתְעַבֵּר עַל־רִיב לֹּא־לוֹ

A passerby who is angered over a quarrel not his is like one who grasps the ears of a dog. One who interferes in a dispute that does not concern him is comparable to one who grabs hold of the ears of a dog for no reason, provoking the animal, that is likely to bite him.

כְּמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים חִצִּים וָמָוֶת

Like the prankster who shoots firebrands, arrows, and death, deadly arrows, all for fun,

כֵּן־אִישׁ רִמָּה אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְאָמַר הֲלֹא מְשַׂחֵק אָנִי

so is a man who deceives and harms his friend with his words, and then says: After all, aren’t I only joking? I did not mean to hurt you; I was just playing.

בְּאֶפֶס עֵצִים תִּכְבֶּה האֵשׁ וּבְאֵין נִרְגָּן יִשְׁתֹּק מָדוֹן

In the absence of wood the fire will be extinguished, and without a grumbler, one who instigates quarrels, strife is silenced. With his absence, arguments are also quelled and disappear.

פֶּחָם לְגֶחָלִים וְעֵצִים אֵשׁ וְאִישׁ מִדְיָנִים לְחַרְחַר רִיב

Likewise, like charcoal used to produce coals, and wood to kindle fire, so is the behavior of a contentious man to inciting a quarrel.

דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָטֶן

The words of a grumbler, or one who is looking to pick a fight, are like blows, and ultimately they descend into the chambers of the belly and cause offense, even if the intention of the speaker was not to do so (see 18:8).

כֶּסֶף סִיגִים מְצֻפֶּה עַל חָרֶשׂ שְׂפָתַיִם דֹּלְקִים וְלֶב רָע

If one has ardent lips, which speak with passion and sometimes too sweetly, but an evil heart, one’s words are like silver dross coating earthenware. Insincere speech may sound sweet but is inherently worthless, just like impure silver covering cheap earthenware.

בִּשְׂפָתָו יִנָּכֵר שׂוֹנֵא וּבְקִרְבּוֹ יָשִׁית מִרְמָה

An enemy dissembles with his lips, as he disguises himself in order to appear to love the person he despises, and despite his friendly face, within himself he places deceit.

כִּי־יְחַנֵּן קוֹלוֹ אַל־תַּאֲמֶן־בּוֹ כִּי שֶׁבַע תּוֹעֵבוֹת בְּלִבּוֹ

When he ingratiates with his voice, seeking to find favor or plead his case, do not trust him, as there are seven, many, abominations, repulsive matters, in his heart.

תִּכַּסֶּה שִׂנְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאוֹן תִּגָּלֶה רָעָתוֹ בְקָהָל

Hatred will be concealed by desolation. Eventually his hatred will be covered with destruction, and his wickedness will be revealed before the congregation, in public. Do not believe an evil person even if he is speaks kindly. When events develop naturally, he will ultimately harm his own cause and reveal the true feelings in his heart.

כֹּרֶה שַּׁחַת בָּהּ יִפֹּל וְגֹלֵל אֶבֶן אֵלָיו תָּשׁוּב

For he who digs a pit will himself fall into it, and with regard to he who rolls a stone up the incline of a hill, the likely result is that it will return onto him. Ultimately, wickedness harms the perpetrator himself.

לְשׁוֹן־שֶׁקֶר יִשְׂנָא דַכָּיו וּפֶה חָלָק יַעֲשֶׂה מִדְחֶה

One who has a lying tongue hates the pure, anything that is pristine and clean. Alternatively, he hates the unfortunate people he exploits, or he hates those who reprove him. And a slippery, or smooth, mouth will make mistakes. One should therefore keep away from a lying tongue that instigates hatred and evil, and from flattering statements that only deceive and cause trouble.