NOTE:  Verses 1-12 deal with attributes of a fool, mostly with analogies, with the exception of verse 2.  Not sure if it was gathered together with the others by accident or if there was some common thought.

Proverbs 26:1  “…snow in summer and rain in harvest…”
Those weather conditions don’t fit the time of year.  Would be unusual and detrimental to crops.

2  “Like a flitting sparrow…curse without cause shall not alight”
Birds flying or jumping from place to place, but not landing.  Insult without cause won’t land either.  Behooves us to remember that when insults are directed our way.  Let them pass by.  Not sure how this verse fits the fool group except to bring out the wisdom of ignoring curses which have no place.

4-5  “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.  Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.”
Sounds like a contradiction.  Use wisdom when dealing with a fool.  Don’t join in a useless argument with a fool as he only wants to talk foolishness to no good end.  Correct him when he makes a foolish statement which is obviously wrong to his or others’ detriment.

9  “Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard…”
Interesting comparison.  Lack of felt pain.

11  “As a dog returns…”
Disgusting analogy, but makes an appropriate comparison.

12  “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?  There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
As bad as a fool is, one who is filled with pride is worse.  A fool can be instructed.  Pride is very difficult to correct.

NOTE:  13-16  Grouping of verses on laziness.

15  “The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl…”
Never been too lazy to eat.  Interesting exaggeration.

17  “He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.”
Like this verse.  Just asking for trouble.

19  “…the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!””
Irritates me when someone does this.  Claims an insult was just a joke when it’s obvious it was not meant to be.  Cowardly behavior.

20  “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out…”
Stop feeding it, and it will die.  Same can be said for social ills like prejudice.

23  “Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.”
First thought is covering something deceitful with something good to mask it, like silver over clay.  But it says dross which is the waste, so makes me think of the worthlessness of it.  With bad intentions, even attempted good words become useless and obvious.  Next three verses expound on this idea.

27  “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.”
What the secular world sees as karma.  Interesting.  The spiritual is there for all to see, but without God it is impossible to properly interpret the truth.  Importance of a Christian world view.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word.  May it accomplish what He desires.  Please feel free to comment or post questions.  Thanks for reading!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.