Proverbs Chapter 26
The Nature of the Fool and the Lazy Man
A. Fools and Sluggards
(Proverbs 26:1)
“As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.”
Honor does not fit the fool any more than snow belongs in the heat of summer or rain in the midst of harvest. Solomon uses imagery of seasons and agricultural timing to illustrate the utter inappropriateness of honoring a fool. In ancient Israel, both snow in summer and rain during harvest were not merely strange but harmful. A summer snowfall would be catastrophic to crops, and rain during harvest could ruin grain by rot and mold. Likewise, to elevate or praise a fool is to bring disorder and damage to the moral and social order.
As one commentator observed, snow or rain at such times “would signal that the times are out of joint,” showing that the natural balance has been violated. So too is it a perversion of justice and wisdom to give esteem to one who is morally or spiritually corrupt. To honor a fool magnifies his folly and endangers those influenced by him. The fool is the senseless and vain person whom society often idolizes, yet Scripture condemns. When public admiration is misplaced, it leads to widespread corruption. True honor should be reserved for the righteous and wise, not the foolish and arrogant. The fool, undeserving of praise, cannot use honor rightly; it only exposes and magnifies his folly to all.
(Proverbs 26:2)
“As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.”
Solomon compares the aimless flight of small birds to the ineffective curse pronounced without just cause. The flitting sparrow and the darting swallow move quickly from place to place, never settling down. In the same way, a curse that lacks divine justice or moral cause cannot take root. It wanders aimlessly and fails to land upon its intended victim.
This truth gives comfort to the righteous. The believer who walks uprightly before God need not fear unjust accusations, slander, or spiritual attacks that have no foundation in truth. Such words have no power because the Sovereign Lord does not honor them. “Therefore, if the heart knows that a curse is unjust,” said one commentator, “it may rest in the certainty that it cannot harm.” The effectiveness of blessing or cursing ultimately lies with God, who alone has the authority to make words of judgment stand.
The prophets and saints of Scripture often endured false curses and revilings, yet they were preserved. Jeremiah lamented, “Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!” (Jeremiah 15:10). Yet his enemies’ words could not overturn God’s calling on his life. Likewise, Balaam himself confessed, “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?” (Numbers 23:8). The principle remains sure: the undeserved curse cannot alight, for God does not support falsehood or injustice.
(Proverbs 26:3–6)
“A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.”
The Proverbs here outline the appropriate way to deal with fools, comparing them to stubborn animals that require firm correction. Just as a whip motivates a horse and a bridle restrains a donkey, the fool often learns only through painful correction. Words of wisdom are ineffective upon him; therefore, discipline and consequences are the only language he understands.
Solomon then presents two seemingly contradictory commands: first, “Answer not a fool according to his folly,” and second, “Answer a fool according to his folly.” These are not contradictions but complementary truths, requiring discernment to apply. There are times when silence is the wisest response to folly. To argue with a fool on his terms is to descend to his level and become like him. There are, however, occasions when a wise answer is necessary—to expose the fool’s ignorance and prevent him from being “wise in his own conceit.”
This calls for wisdom in timing and discernment. Jesus exemplified this perfectly. Before Herod and Pilate, He sometimes remained silent, for they were hardened in unbelief (Luke 23:9). At other times, He gave answers that revealed truth and silenced His opponents (Matthew 22:46). “Oh, for wisdom to govern the tongue,” wrote one commentator, “to discover the right time to speak and the right time to stay silent.”
Finally, Solomon warns against trusting a fool with responsibility: “He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.” To entrust important tasks or words to a fool is to harm oneself. It is self-sabotage, like cutting off one’s own feet. Though God, in His sovereignty, has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27), He transforms those He calls; they are not to remain fools but to be made wise through His Spirit and Word.
The Nature of the Fool
(Proverbs 26:7–12)
“Like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.”
Solomon here continues his discourse on the character of the fool by using a series of vivid and often grotesque comparisons. Each image reveals the uselessness, danger, and self-destructive nature of the fool’s ways.
A proverb, though it contains the richest wisdom, becomes worthless when spoken by a fool, just as the legs of a lame man hang limp and cannot carry him. The fool’s lips may repeat wise sayings, but his life gives them no weight, nor can he apply what he speaks. The fool possesses truth without understanding, and so wisdom in his mouth loses its intended power. It is tragic to see sacred truth misused, for as one commentator noted, “no less absurd is he that giveth to a fool that honour and praise which he is not capable either of receiving, or retaining, or using aright.”
To give honor to a fool is equally foolish, like binding a stone in a sling. The sling was designed for hurling stones at great speed, but a bound stone cannot be released. The weapon becomes useless and even dangerous to its owner. So it is with praise or position given to an unworthy man—it accomplishes nothing good and may backfire upon the giver. The stone, tied instead of loosed, may swing back and injure the slinger himself.
Likewise, “as a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.” A drunkard may handle a thorny branch without realizing that it pierces his flesh. His insensibility to pain mirrors the fool’s moral dullness. In his hands, sacred truth is mangled and misused. The fool quotes Scripture or moral sayings as the drunkard swings the thornbush—carelessly, wounding both himself and others. Trapp remarks, “He handleth it hard, as if it were another kind of wood, and it runs into his hand. So do profane persons pervert and pollute the Holy Scriptures, to their own and other men’s destruction.”
Solomon next reminds the reader that “the great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.” God’s sovereignty extends over every creature, wise and foolish alike. He ensures that each receives his due recompense. Even the fool’s existence and sustenance come under God’s providence, yet his end is one of judgment. God may allow the wicked and foolish to prosper temporarily, filling their bellies with good things in this life, but that prosperity serves to prepare them for destruction if they persist in rebellion. “He fattens them,” said Trapp, “to fit them for destruction, as fated ware is fitted for the meat market.”
The most revolting image in this section follows: “As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.” It portrays the fool’s moral and spiritual corruption with graphic disgust. Just as a dog returns to its vomit, sniffing and even consuming what was once expelled, so the fool habitually returns to his sin. The comparison is intentionally shocking, meant to provoke moral revulsion. The fool learns nothing from the consequences of his folly. His nature compels him back to the same defilement. The apostle Peter cites this verse in reference to false teachers who abandon righteousness only to plunge back into sin: “But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:22).
Finally, Solomon observes that there is someone in even greater danger than the fool: “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.” Pride closes the door to wisdom more firmly than ignorance. The fool at least might learn through correction, but the self-righteous man is blind to his need. His confidence in his own understanding makes repentance and growth nearly impossible. “The greatest fool,” wrote Morgan, “is the fool who does not know he is a fool.”
This self-deception is subtle and pervasive. When a person fails to seek God’s counsel, it is because he believes his own wisdom is sufficient. Such arrogance lies at the root of ruin. The wise man therefore cultivates humility and dependence upon divine direction. “There is no safer condition of soul,” Morgan wrote, “than that self-distrust, that knowledge of ignorance, which drives us persistently to seek for the wisdom which comes from above.”
The Nature of the Lazy Man
(Proverbs 26:13–16)
“The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.”
Solomon exposes the absurdity and self-deception of laziness with a series of ironic illustrations. The lazy man is not simply idle—he is inventive in crafting excuses, self-justifying in his pride, and oblivious to the foolishness of his own reasoning.
The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!” His imagination provides endless reasons to avoid labor. In ancient Israel, the presence of a lion in the streets would have been an extreme rarity, yet he fabricates this danger as justification for remaining idle. He not only imagines a lion, but a fierce lion, emphasizing his talent for creating excuses. This represents the endless rationalizations of those who avoid responsibility. Their minds, though capable of creativity, are devoted to self-deception rather than diligence. The sluggard’s fears are exaggerated, his excuses endless. It is not danger that keeps him from work, but indifference and self-indulgence.
Next, Solomon compares the lazy man to a door turning on its hinges: “As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.” The door moves back and forth but never advances; it remains fixed in place. So the lazy man tosses and turns in bed, restless but motionless. His body moves, yet his life remains stagnant. Trapp remarks that he “comes not off, unless lifted or knocked off.” Hunger or necessity may eventually force him to act, but not willingly. The humor in this verse lies in its irony—the sluggard is full of motion yet accomplishes nothing, just as the door moves constantly but opens to no progress.
Solomon further deepens the image: “The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.” The fool’s laziness reaches a grotesque extreme—he grows weary at the thought of feeding himself. It is not mere physical weariness but spiritual apathy. The lazy man’s will is paralyzed. “The sluggard so dislikes any form of work that the very thought of exerting himself exhausts him,” says Waltke. The humor of the proverb conceals a sober warning: laziness, left unchecked, becomes self-destruction. The sluggard’s mind is so dull that he cannot perceive his own moral decay.
Kidner insightfully observes that the sluggard’s folly is compounded by blindness to his condition. He justifies himself at every stage: in verse 13, he is not lazy but a “realist”; in verse 14, not idle but “resting”; in verse 15, not negligent but “unmotivated”; and in verse 16, not ignorant but “wiser than others.” The lazy man lives in a web of self-deception, mistaking idleness for wisdom and excuses for prudence.
Finally, Solomon notes, “The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.” Despite his failures, he esteems himself more intelligent than a council of wise men. His pride blinds him completely. The number seven here represents fullness or perfection—he believes himself more discerning than the wisest of men. This pride completes his ruin. He neither works nor listens, thinking himself too clever for correction. Clarke writes, “Seven here only means perfection, abundance, or multitude. He is wiser in his own eyes than a multitude of the wisest men.”
In these verses, Solomon exposes laziness not merely as a lack of motion but as a moral disease of the soul—a mixture of fear, pride, and delusion. The lazy man resists reality, deceives himself, and refuses correction. His downfall is not sudden but inevitable, brought about by his own unwillingness to act or to learn.
The Danger of the Practical Joker
(Proverbs 26:18–19)
“As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?”
Solomon warns against the cruelty disguised as humor. The image he paints is vivid and alarming—a man in a fit of madness hurling deadly weapons in all directions, indifferent to the destruction he causes. Such a person spreads injury and chaos without concern for consequence. The comparison is fitting for one who deceives or harms another under the pretense of jest.
The practical joker who says, “I was only joking,” often attempts to excuse cruelty as humor. Yet the Scripture reveals that such behavior springs not from harmless amusement but from malice and recklessness. Words and actions that deceive or wound others cannot be excused by claiming levity. What begins as a jest can sow deep mistrust and humiliation. The “madman” of this proverb may laugh, but his laughter comes at the expense of others’ pain.
As Bridges observes, this type of deceiver “bears no malice. He indulges only the pure love of mischief. He carries on a scheme of imposition as harmless play. His companions compliment him on his adroitness and join in the laugh of triumph over the victim of his cruel jest.” Yet God’s Word calls it what it is—madness and moral folly. The jest that wounds is sin, and the man who hides behind humor to excuse deceit is as dangerous as one who throws firebrands and arrows into a crowd. True wisdom avoids the kind of humor that destroys confidence, damages relationships, or inflicts emotional injury.
The Dangerous Words of the Talebearer
(Proverbs 26:20–22)
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out:
So where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire;
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
The words of a talebearer are as wounds,
and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”
Solomon turns from the cruel deceiver to another destroyer of peace—the gossip or talebearer. Just as fire cannot burn without fuel, strife cannot survive without the continual feeding of slander and whispered rumors. The talebearer provides that fuel. When his tongue is silenced, contention ceases. The picture is practical and profound: stop feeding the fire, and the flame will die.
James writes of this same destructive power in the New Testament, saying, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell” (James 3:6). Words, like sparks, may seem small, yet they can ignite destruction that consumes families, churches, and communities.
“As long as there is an ear to receive, and a tongue to pass on, some piece of malicious slander will continue to circulate,” wrote Meyer. But when one person refuses to repeat it, the fire is extinguished in that direction. Clarke adds that both the tale-bearer and the one who listens share guilt: “The receiver is as bad as the thief.” Without listeners, gossip dies.
Solomon continues, comparing the contentious man to charcoal that feeds burning coals and wood that kindles fire. Strife does not arise on its own; it is provoked and maintained by people who delight in conflict. “In the absence of such a person,” notes Garrett, “old hurts can be set aside, and discord can die a natural death.”
He then describes the subtle power of gossip: “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” The Hebrew sense of this phrase conveys that such words are swallowed eagerly, like delicacies—tasty trifles that seem harmless but become poison within. Once received, gossip shapes the heart, often altering one’s perception of another person unjustly. For this reason, the Law required multiple witnesses to confirm a matter: “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin… at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15). The same principle is repeated in 2 Corinthians 13:1 and 1 Timothy 5:19, guarding against false accusation and preserving justice.
Once gossip enters the heart, it is difficult to purge. “When such tasty bits are taken into the innermost being,” Ross explains, “they stimulate the desire for more.” The appetite for scandal grows, leading to further sin. For this reason, Solomon repeats this warning from Proverbs 18:8, underscoring its importance to the peace and unity of all human relationships. Poole rightly observes that this truth “is fit to be oft and earnestly pressed upon the consciences of men, because of their great and general proneness to this sin.”
Thus, the wise avoid both the deceiver who hides behind humor and the talebearer who whispers behind backs. Both sow destruction through words—one under the guise of laughter, the other under the mask of concern.
Fair Words Covering a Foul Heart
(Proverbs 26:23)
“Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.”
Solomon here exposes the hypocrisy of smooth and flattering speech that conceals evil intentions. “Burning lips” refer to words spoken with passion, conviction, or apparent sincerity. Such speech can easily deceive those who hear it, especially when it comes from a man whose heart is wicked. The danger lies in the contrast between what is said and what is truly meant. The fervency of his words gives power to his deceit, and his eloquence disguises corruption.
The psalmist spoke similarly: “They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak” (Psalm 12:2). These are people who, as Luther paraphrased, have “a bad mouth and a worse heart.” They say one thing while plotting another, as Trapp put it, “drawing a fair glove on a foul hand.” Their hearts burn with selfish motives or hatred, but their words are clothed with courtesy, charm, and persuasion.
Solomon likens such a man to “a potsherd covered with silver dross.” A potsherd, or piece of clay pottery, has little value, but a thin glaze of silver dross—the residue left after refining silver—gives it a superficial shine. What appears valuable on the surface is worthless underneath. Likewise, the person who uses fervent speech to hide evil is all pretense. His outer words glitter, but his inner being remains corrupt and base.
Waltke notes that “because of its silvery gloss, this slag was used as a glaze for ceramics,” and Clarke adds that such a man “is like a vessel plated over with base metal to make it resemble silver; but it is only a vile pot, and even the outside is not pure.” True character is not determined by eloquence but by integrity of heart. A silver tongue cannot sanctify a corrupt soul.
The Secret Hater
(Proverbs 26:24–26)
“He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.”
Solomon next unmasks the hypocrite who conceals hatred beneath words of friendliness. Hatred rarely walks openly; it prefers disguise. Those who despise others—whether men or God—often hide their malice behind soft speech and false kindness. The tongue may flatter while the heart plots destruction. Such deceitful speech is among the most dangerous forms of wickedness because it disarms the unsuspecting.
“He that hateth dissembleth with his lips” speaks of one who suppresses the outward expression of hatred but nourishes it inwardly. His words are smooth, yet his intentions are cruel. Ross aptly notes, “Charming words might merely cover evil thoughts.” The deceit lies not only toward others but also toward self. “He lays up deceit within himself”—he deceives his own conscience, imagining he is more righteous than he truly is. He maintains the appearance of civility while harboring malice in his soul.
“When he speaketh fair, believe him not,” Solomon warns. Polished speech and outward kindness do not guarantee sincerity. Beneath his pleasant words lie “seven abominations in his heart.” This expression denotes completeness—the full measure of wickedness. Waltke explains that “seven abominations is an abstraction for the full panoply of his wicked thoughts and deeds that utterly offend the moral sensibilities of the righteous.” Such a person has perfected deceit.
However, no disguise can hide hatred forever. “Though his hatred be covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.” Eventually, God will expose the truth, whether in this life or at the judgment seat. Hypocrisy has a way of unraveling, and secret hatred will be brought to light. Trapp vividly comments, “He shall be detected and detested of all, sooner or later. God will wash off his varnish with rivers of brimstone.”
The “assembly” likely refers to a legal or public gathering where justice is executed. Waltke observes that it “refers to a legal assembly convoked to try the enemy’s evil deeds and to mete out punishment. In Proverbs justice is meted out in an indefinite future that outlasts death.” Whether in the court of men or before the throne of God, the secret hater will not escape exposure.
These verses remind us that the heart, not the lips, defines a person’s character. Flattering speech and hidden hatred are a deadly combination, but truth and love proceed from a heart aligned with righteousness. God values integrity over eloquence, and sincerity over persuasion.
The Self-Appointed Judgment on the Lying Tongue
(Proverbs 26:27–28)
“Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.”
Solomon concludes this section with a solemn warning about divine justice and the destructive power of deceit. God’s moral order ensures that evil ultimately recoils upon the one who commits it. The schemes of the wicked often become the very instruments of their downfall.
“Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein.” This proverb captures a recurring biblical truth—that a person who plots harm for another brings destruction upon himself. The image comes from hunting or warfare: men dig deep pits to trap enemies or animals, but in divine irony, the schemer himself falls into his own snare. Likewise, “he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.” Those who conspire to crush others are often crushed by their own devices. As God’s Word declares, “He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made” (Psalm 7:15).
The examples of Scripture confirm this principle. Haman built the gallows for Mordecai but was hanged on them himself (Esther 7:10). Daniel’s enemies plotted his death in the lions’ den but perished there instead (Daniel 6:24–28). Trapp even records a historical account of Pope Gregory VII, who conspired to kill Emperor Henry IV by dropping a stone from above his place of prayer, yet the stone fell upon the assassin and killed him instead. Such stories illustrate that divine justice often uses man’s own wickedness as the means of retribution.
“A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it.” Solomon next reveals the heart of the deceiver. The liar not only harms his victims but despises them. His lies destroy reputations, peace, and trust, and he feels no remorse. In truth, lying is an act of hatred. As Garrett writes, “In one way or another, lies destroy those whom they deceive. Therefore the liar despises not only the truth but his victims as well.” Those who are “crushed” by deceit and slander may suffer deep wounds, yet, like Paul, they remain sustained by grace: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9).
Finally, “a flattering mouth worketh ruin.” Flattery is another form of deceit, different in tone but identical in essence. It disguises hatred under the mask of praise. The flatterer manipulates others through false admiration, feeding pride to achieve selfish ends. Kidner insightfully remarks, “The heart of the matter is exposed with the fact that deceit, whether it hurts or soothes, is practical hatred, since truth is vital, and pride fatal, to right decisions.” Trapp adds succinctly, “False love proves to be true hatred.”
Flattery destroys both speaker and listener. The deceiver corrupts his own soul through dishonesty, while the flattered one becomes ensnared by pride and poor judgment. Therefore, the wise must pray, as Bridges counsels, for “wisdom to discover the snare, for gracious principles to raise us up above vain praises, for self-denial, and for the capacity to be content and even thankful without such flatteries.” True love tells the truth; false praise leads to ruin.
In these verses, Solomon reminds us that deceit—whether malicious or flattering—cannot escape God’s justice. The pit dug for another becomes the grave of the deceiver. Lies reveal hatred, flattery breeds destruction, and in the end, both are judged by the same moral law of divine retribution.
