Proverbs 26: Fools, Sluggards, and Gossips
Solomon's proverbs expose the fool's folly, the sluggard's excuses, and the gossip's quiet, destructive whispers.
Proverbs 26 (WEB)
1 Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.
3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!
4 Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
7 Like the legs of the lame that hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.
11 As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.
15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
17 Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18 Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
21 As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.
23 Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
24 A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.
25 When his speech is charming, don’t believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Proverbs 26 (KJV)
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Proverbs 26 (ASV)
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor is not seemly for a fool.
2 As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage.
7 The legs of the lame hang loose; So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As one that bindeth a stone in a sling, So is he that giveth honor to a fool.
9 Asa thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 As an archer that woundeth all, So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit, So isa fool that repeateth his folly.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way; A lion is in the streets.
14 Asthe door turneth upon its hinges, So doth the sluggard upon his bed.
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; It wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit Than seven men that can render a reason.
17 He that passeth by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, Islikeone that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a madman who casteth firebrands, Arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, And saith, Am not I in sport?
20 For lack of wood the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
21 Ascoals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to inflame strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.
23 Fervent lips and a wicked heart Arelikean earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips; But he layeth up deceit within him:
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not; For there are seven abominations in his heart:
26 Though hishatred cover itself with guile, His wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly.
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; And he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
28 A lying tongue hateth those whom it hath wounded; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Summary
This chapter paints vivid portraits of three ruinous characters. Honor fits a fool as poorly as snow in summer, and the famous paradox advises both not answering and answering a fool according to his folly. Fools repeat their folly like a dog returning to its vomit, and the self-wise are worse off than fools. The sluggard claims a lion blocks the road, turns on his bed like a door on its hinges, and is too lazy to lift food to his mouth, yet thinks himself wise. The chapter then warns against the meddler, the deceiver who jokes about his harm, and especially the gossip: without wood a fire goes out, and without a whisperer a quarrel dies. The flatterer's charming speech hides seven abominations, but his malice will be exposed and his pit will swallow him.
Main Characters
- The fool — The one for whom honor is unfitting and who returns to his folly like a dog to its vomit.
- The sluggard — The lazy man who invents lions in the road and is too weary even to feed himself.
- The gossip/whisperer — The one whose dainty words feed quarrels and whose absence lets strife die down.
- The deceiver/flatterer — The malicious man who hides evil behind charming speech until his wickedness is exposed.
Key Verse
Proverbs 26:20 (WEB)
For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
Lessons Learned
- Folly, when repeated, becomes a destructive and predictable cycle.
- Laziness disguises itself with excuses and an inflated sense of one's own wisdom.
- Gossip is the fuel that keeps quarrels burning; without it, strife dies.
- Flattering, deceptive speech eventually exposes the malice it tries to hide.
- Honor given to a fool is misplaced and harmful. Like snow in summer... so honor is not fitting for a fool (Proverbs 26:1, WEB). Elevating folly only multiplies its damage.
- Wisdom discerns when to answer folly and when to stay silent. Don't answer a fool according to his folly... Answer a fool according to his folly (Proverbs 26:4-5, WEB). Together these proverbs teach us to read the moment with discernment.
- Unrepented folly becomes a repeating cycle. As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly (Proverbs 26:11, WEB). Sin left uncorrected tends to circle back again and again.
- Laziness hides behind excuses and self-flattery. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion (Proverbs 26:16, WEB). Sloth blinds a person to his own condition.
- Gossip is fuel that keeps quarrels burning. For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down (Proverbs 26:20, WEB). Refusing to spread talk starves conflict of its fuel.
- Charming words can mask a malicious heart. When his speech is charming, don't believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart (Proverbs 26:25, WEB). Flattery often conceals hidden evil that God will expose.
- Why does the chapter say honor is not fitting for a fool?
- How can it be wise both not to answer a fool and to answer a fool according to his folly?
- What do the sluggard's excuses, like the lion in the road, reveal about laziness?
- How does the image of fire and wood explain the power of gossip?
- Where do you need to guard your own speech against gossip or flattery?
- Because honoring a fool encourages and spreads his folly, like snow out of season it is unnatural and damaging. The chapter warns against rewarding what should be corrected.
- The two sayings sit together to teach discernment: sometimes engaging a fool drags us down to his level, and sometimes leaving him unanswered lets him stay smug. Wisdom reads the situation to know which response fits.
- His imagined lion exposes how laziness manufactures excuses to avoid effort while flattering itself as wise. The portrait shows sloth as self-deceiving and self-justifying.
- Just as a fire dies without wood, a quarrel cannot survive without someone feeding it with talk; the gossip keeps conflict alive. Removing the gossip lets strife burn out.
- This is a personal question; handle it gently. Help the group examine where their words spread strife or flatter falsely, and encourage truthful, gracious speech instead.