King James Version

Proverbs 26:9

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

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Hebrew

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ח֭וֹחַchochathornחוֹחַnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “thorn”, the ordinary formH2336a thorn; by analogy, a ring forthe nosebramble, thistle, thorn.עָלָ֣הalahascend upעָלָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “ascend up”, a completed actionH5927to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurativearise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make t…בְיַדveyadin handיָדpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “in hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […שִׁכּ֑וֹרshikordrunkשִׁכּוֹרadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “drunk”, the ordinary formH7910intoxicated, as astate or a habitdrunk(-ard, -en, -en man).וּ֝מָשָׁ֗לumashaland bywordמָשָׁלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and byword”, the ordinary formH4912properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)byword, like, parable, proverb.בְּפִ֣יbefiin edgeפֶּהpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in edge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…כְסִילִֽיםkhesilimfoolכְּסִילadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “fool”, the ordinary formH3684properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or sillyfool(-ish).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

As a thorn that cometh into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

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The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

As a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, So is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Young’s Literal Translation

A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

World English Bible

Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Darby Translation

[As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

Douay-Rheims

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

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

As a thorn that cometh into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard, and servitude in the hand of fools.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἄκανθαι φύονται ἐν χειρὶ μεθύσου, δουλεία δὲ ἐν χειρὶ τῶν ἀφρόνων.