सूक्ति ग्रन्थ 26

1As snow in summer, and rain in harvest, so glory is not seemly for a fool.

2As a bird flying to other places, and a sparrow going here or there: so a curse uttered without cause shall come upon a man.

3A whip for a horse, and a snaffle for an ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

4Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be made like him.

5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.

6He that sendeth words by a foolish messenger, is lame of feet and drinketh iniquity.

7As a lame man hath fair legs in vain: so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.

8As he that casteth a stone into the heap of Mercury: so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

9As if a thorn should grow in the hand of a drunkard: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

10Judgment determineth causes: and he that putteth a fool to silence, appeaseth anger.

11As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly.

12Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him.

13The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lioness in the roads.

14As the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

15The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and it grieveth him to turn it to his mouth.

16The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences.

17As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man’s quarrel.

18As he is guilty that shooteth arrows, and lances unto death:

19So is the man that hurteth his friend deceitfully: and when he is taken, saith: I did it in jest.

20When the wood faileth, the fire shall go out: and when the talebearer is taken away, contentions shall cease.

21As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up strife.

22The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, but they reach to the innermost parts of the belly.

23Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthen vessel adorned with silver dross.

24An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit.

25When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart.

26He that covereth hatred deceitfully, his malice shall be laid open in the public assembly.

27He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him.

28A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin.

1[Quomodo nix in æstate, et pluviæ in messe, sic indecens est stulto gloria.

2Sicut avis ad alia transvolans, et passer quolibet vadens, sic maledictum frustra prolatum in quempiam superveniet.

3Flagellum equo, et camus asino, et virga in dorso imprudentium.

4Ne respondeas stulto juxta stultitiam suam, ne efficiaris ei similis.

5Responde stulto juxta stultitiam suam, ne sibi sapiens esse videatur.

6Claudus pedibus, et iniquitatem bibens, qui mittit verba per nuntium stultum.

7Quomodo pulchras frustra habet claudus tibias, sic indecens est in ore stultorum parabola.

8Sicut qui mittit lapidem in acervum Mercurii, ita qui tribuit insipienti honorem.

9Quomodo si spina nascatur in manu temulenti, sic parabola in ore stultorum.

10Judicium determinat causas, et qui imponit stulto silentium iras mitigat.

11Sicut canis qui revertitur ad vomitum suum, sic imprudens qui iterat stultitiam suam.

12Vidisti hominem sapientem sibi videri? magis illo spem habebit insipiens.]

13[Dicit piger: Leo est in via, et leæna in itineribus.

14Sicut ostium vertitur in cardine suo, ita piger in lectulo suo.

15Abscondit piger manum sub ascella sua, et laborat si ad os suum eam converterit.

16Sapientior sibi piger videtur septem viris loquentibus sententias.]

17[Sicut qui apprehendit auribus canem, sic qui transit impatiens et commiscetur rixæ alterius.

18Sicut noxius est qui mittit sagittas et lanceas in mortem,

19ita vir fraudulenter nocet amico suo, et cum fuerit deprehensus dicit: Ludens feci.

20Cum defecerint ligna extinguetur ignis, et susurrone subtracto, jurgia conquiescent.

21Sicut carbones ad prunas, et ligna ad ignem, sic homo iracundus suscitat rixas.

22Verba susurronis quasi simplicia, et ipsa perveniunt ad intima ventris.

23Quomodo si argento sordido ornare velis vas fictile, sic labia tumentia cum pessimo corde sociata.

24Labiis suis intelligitur inimicus, cum in corde tractaverit dolos.

25Quando submiserit vocem suam, ne credideris ei, quoniam septem nequitiæ sunt in corde illius.

26Qui operit odium fraudulenter, revelabitur malitia ejus in consilio.

27Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam, et qui volvit lapidem revertetur ad eum.

28Lingua fallax non amat veritatem, et os lubricum operatur ruinas.]

1In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.

2Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.

3A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.

4Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.

5Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.

6Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.

7In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.

8Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.

9In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.

10Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.

11Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.

12Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.

13The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”

14Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.

15The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.

16The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.

17Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.

18Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,

19so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”

20When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.

21Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.

22The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.

23In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.

24An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.

25When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.

26Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.

27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.

28A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.