Proverbs Chapter 26

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 As snow in summer, and rain in harvest, so glory is not seemly for a fool.
2 As a bird flying to other places, and a sparrow going here or there: so a curse uttered without cause shall come upon a man. As a bird, etc... The meaning is, that a curse uttered without cause shall do no harm to the person that is cursed, but will return upon him that curseth, as whithersoever a bird flies, it returns to its own nest.
3 A whip for a horse, and a snaffle for an ass, and a rod for the back of fools.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be made like him. Answer not a fool, etc... Viz., so as to imitate him but only so as to reprove his folly.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
6 He that sendeth words by a foolish messenger, is lame of feet and drinketh iniquity.
7 As a lame man hath fair legs in vain: so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.
8 As he that casteth a stone into the heap of Mercury: so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
9 As if a thorn should grow in the hand of a drunkard: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 Judgment determineth causes: and he that putteth a fool to silence, appeaseth anger.
11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly.
12 Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him.

13 The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lioness in the roads.
14 As the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and it grieveth him to turn it to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences.

17 As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man's quarrel.
18 As he is guilty that shooteth arrows, and lances unto death.
19 So is the man that hurteth his friend deceitfully: and when he is taken, saith: I did it in jest.
20 When the wood faileth, the fire shall go out: and when the talebearer is taken away, contentions shall cease.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, but they reach to the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthen vessel adorned with silver dross.
24 An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit.
25 When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart.
26 He that covereth hatred deceitfully, his malice shall be laid open in the public assembly.
27 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him.
28 A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Quomodo nix in æstate, et pluviæ in messe,
sic indecens est stulto gloria.
2 Sicut avis ad alia transvolans, et passer quolibet vadens,
sic maledictum frustra prolatum in quempiam superveniet.
3 Flagellum equo, et camus asino,
et virga in dorso imprudentium.
4 Ne respondeas stulto juxta stultitiam suam,
ne efficiaris ei similis.
5 Responde stulto juxta stultitiam suam,
ne sibi sapiens esse videatur.
6 Claudus pedibus, et iniquitatem bibens,
qui mittit verba per nuntium stultum.
7 Quomodo pulchras frustra habet claudus tibias,
sic indecens est in ore stultorum parabola.
8 Sicut qui mittit lapidem in acervum Mercurii,
ita qui tribuit insipienti honorem.
9 Quomodo si spina nascatur in manu temulenti,
sic parabola in ore stultorum.
10 Judicium determinat causas,
et qui imponit stulto silentium iras mitigat.
11 Sicut canis qui revertitur ad vomitum suum,
sic imprudens qui iterat stultitiam suam.
12 Vidisti hominem sapientem sibi videri?
magis illo spem habebit insipiens.

13 Dicit piger: Leo est in via,
et leæna in itineribus.
14 Sicut ostium vertitur in cardine suo,
ita piger in lectulo suo.
15 Abscondit piger manum sub ascella sua,
et laborat si ad os suum eam converterit.
16 Sapientior sibi piger videtur
septem viris loquentibus sententias.

17 Sicut qui apprehendit auribus canem,
sic qui transit impatiens et commiscetur rixæ alterius.
18 Sicut noxius est qui mittit sagittas et lanceas in mortem,
19 ita vir fraudulenter nocet amico suo,
et cum fuerit deprehensus dicit: Ludens feci.
20 Cum defecerint ligna extinguetur ignis,
et susurrone subtracto, jurgia conquiescent.
21 Sicut carbones ad prunas, et ligna ad ignem,
sic homo iracundus suscitat rixas.
22 Verba susurronis quasi simplicia,
et ipsa perveniunt ad intima ventris.
23 Quomodo si argento sordido ornare velis vas fictile,
sic labia tumentia cum pessimo corde sociata.
24 Labiis suis intelligitur inimicus,
cum in corde tractaverit dolos.
25 Quando submiserit vocem suam, ne credideris ei,
quoniam septem nequitiæ sunt in corde illius.
26 Qui operit odium fraudulenter,
revelabitur malitia ejus in consilio.
27 Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam,
et qui volvit lapidem revertetur ad eum.
28 Lingua fallax non amat veritatem,
et os lubricum operatur ruinas.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition

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