Bible in Basic English
Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.
The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed.
The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.
The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.
He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.
As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death,
So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport?
Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;
When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils:
Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people.
He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.
A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling.
— Proverbs 26:12-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him. The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lioness in the roads. As the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and it grieveth him to turn it to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences. As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man's quarrel. As he is guilty that shooteth arrows, and lances unto death. So is the man that hurteth his friend deceitfully: and when he is taken, saith: I did it in jest. When the wood faileth, the fire shall go out: and when the talebearer is taken away, contentions shall cease. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up strife. The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, but they reach to the innermost parts of the belly. Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthern vessel adorned with silver dross. An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit. When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart. He that covereth hatred deceitfully, his malice shall be laid open in the public assembly. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him. A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin. ”
Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.
Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink.
Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.
Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.
The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed.
The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.
The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.
He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.
As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death,
So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport?
Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;
When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils:
Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people.
He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.
A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling.