Proverbs Chapter 26

• Proverbs 26:1  As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

I picture a fool as a person with no sense of responsibility. He does stupid things that profit nothing and has no sense of direction. He can't be depended upon for anything. To trust him is vain. It would be like snow in summer and rain in harvest time. Out of season and irritating.

• Proverbs 26:2  As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

This verse may be continuing the statement in verse 1 about the fool. The fool will curse and have a mouth full of bitterness and if he is put in charge of others it is foolishness but his cursing shall come upon his own head. It will not last. They will be removed.

• Proverbs 26:3  A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.

I know we don't like the sound of this but there are some that are so irresponsible and foolish that words and gentle correction does not work like a trying to correct a stubborn mule.

• Proverbs 26:4  Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

There are times when it is better not to answer him and have no debate with his foolishness lest we find ourselves given over to words of foolishness ourselves.

• Proverbs 26:5  Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

Wesley puts it this way: According - So as his folly needs and requires, convincing him strongly, reproving him sharply, and exposing him to just shame.

• Proverbs 26:6  He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.

When sending important messages, we use someone who is dependable and has a reputation for being reliable, not a foolish person who is irresponsible.

• Proverbs 26:7  The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Another comparison and description of a foolish person. Unlike the lame who can't help his lot in life, a fool is one who does so by choice. He could choose to live right but does not. God gives us a freewill.  

• Proverbs 26:8  As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

Waste of time, in other words. If he binds a stone in a sling and does not use it, it is compared to giving honor to a fool. Total waste of words.

• Proverbs 26:9  As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Sort of like the verse about giving that which is holy to the dogs. Some advice, correction and good speeches is wasted on those that continually mock and resist.

• Proverbs 26:10  The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.

All who refuse God's plan of salvation by trusting in His Son for salvation and cleansing from sin will stand before God and be judged by every sin, great or small that we have committed.

• Proverbs 26:11  As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

A person who is not a fool will repent from his folly or wickedness and not return. A fool will return again and again just as a dog will eat his own vomit.

• Proverbs 26:12  Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

We know what a fool is by previous verses but here we see that a person who is conceited and thinks himself to be wiser than others, even may boast of his wisdom but alas, the bible declares that there is more hope of a fool than a person that is wise in his own conceit.

True wisdom and also knowledge begins with the fear of God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This is the place to start. Until we get to this place any wisdom we have is greatly lacking. The wise person acknowledges his need and dependence upon God. A foolish person does not retain God in his knowledge at all. A person wise in his own conceit then, is worse than the foolish person because he is trusting in his own supposed wisdom.

• Proverbs 26:13  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.

Laziness is described here. Also the same as the sluggard in verse 16. What a great comparison in verse 14. As a door turns upon its hinges the slothful turns upon his bed. He accomplishes nothing. Nothing matters to him. A lion could be in the streets devouring animals or people but he couldn't care less unless it endangers him. Verse 15 seems to indicate that he is so lazy that he doesn't want to lift his hand up to feed himself. The excuse of the lion being in the street makes him feel justified in doing nothing.

• Proverbs 26:16  The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

Believe it or not a lazy person can think he or she is wise but can be very conceited. Perhaps he has an answer or a reason to justify his laziness. He is wise in his own eyes even thinks he is wiser than those that study and continue to learn.

• Proverbs 26:17  He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

Whoa, that is a dangerous thing to do if one doesn't want to be bit by a dog so meddling in strife that doesn't concern him or is none of his business is compared to being bit by a dog. This doesn't mean that we don't help someone in trouble, just mind our own business in things that are trivial.

• Proverbs 26:18  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?

I'm seen this many times. It is one way to back down and justify one's actions. He deceives his neighbor with words, then when he is found out, he claims, "Oh, I was only joking."

We may say something we really mean that hurts someone but after considering the harm it may do, we lie and say, "I was only joking." That way we got our point across but took it back so it wouldn't hurt. This type of indirect deception does no good at all and to say it was a joke when we really meant it, is a lie.   

I don't believe the Lord wants us to correct people in that manner. A more honest approach would be to say, "I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have said that," and let it go at that because we can't take our words back. If we really meant them though, we should not say that we didn't mean it. It would be a lie. 

• Proverbs 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

This is a great one to memorize. In fact every time we build a campfire and roast marshmallows adding wood to keep it going, we can remember this verse. A talebearer is similar, as long as they keep spreading tales and repeating things that cause offenses, it will separate friends and spread rumors causing the strife to continue. As soon as the gossiper or backbiter stops, we see peace restored. Friends that were once separated because someone turned one against another may be reunited.

• Proverbs 26:21  As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

We continue here with the same thought as in verse 10. Someone who is contentious will kindle strife just like coal and wood kindle a fire. Riots can be started by someone's speech that is full of anger, complaint and bitterness. 

• Proverbs 26:22  The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Many people have had their reputations ruined by tale bearing. Sometimes they may be true at one point but even if a person repents and turns his life around, the tales go on and on. Most of the time though the words of a talebearer are part true and partly false which is more deceiving. Facts are exaggerated to generate interest and to capture one's attention. Election years are bad for this type of thing. Candidates are fearful of telling out and out lies that can be proven false so they exaggerate and make part truth and part lies.

• Proverbs 26:23  Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

It might look like silver from a distance but it is full of dross, good for nothing. When we listen to a speaker that speaks fluently but has a wicked heart, we open ourselves up to deception, evil feelings or whatever else the spirit within that person gives out.

• Proverbs 26:24  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.

This has probably been the cause of all evil from the beginning. We have problems with those that give forth hate speeches. There is a big difference between preaching God's word, warning against sin and the actual hate speech. Hate is not warning against the consequences of sin and ignoring the law of God.

Hate is stirring up evil against another person causing the listener to hate the person enough to commit violence against him or her. A true believer in Christ has to guard his soul against this when we get stirred up about the evils around us like abortion. Hate abortion yes, speak out against it yes, but don't react to it with violence, let God do the judging. Beware of political bias. We should be able to have our opinions without causing bad feelings or hate. We must always use caution in politics though, not forgetting the main goal we should follow is in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and not allowing the gospel to be put on the back burner or even neglected.

Yes, slavery is wrong, abortion is wrong, discrimination is wrong but it can only be healed by the spirit of God, not by politics. Politics and electing the right people cannot change the heart within us. The power of the gospel can. We must be born again by the spirit of God before we can love an enemy and do good to them that persecute us. When we let our Christianity become a state religion like some did back in the Middle Ages, it was the biggest, saddest downfall of the church that could happen. Christianity can then become a name only religion. Avoid any religion where the heart of man is not being changed or born again by the spirit of God.

• Proverbs 26:27  Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

Again and again I think of the old road runner cartoons where the coyote would plot a trap for the road runner only to get entrapped himself.

• Proverbs 26:28  A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

It is one thing to encourage our brothers and sisters in the Lord and make them feel that in God all things are possible but it is quite another to use false flattery to gain their favor and really feel something different altogether. It does work ruin. Lying and deceit never work out to the good of anyone.