Proverbs 26:3
A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.
Bible in Basic English
In The King James Version
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
In Context
4Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.
Cross References
Judges 8:5And he said to the men of Succoth, Give bread cakes to my people, for they are overcome with weariness, and I am going on after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.
Proverbs 10:13In the lips of him who has knowledge wisdom is seen; but a rod is ready for the back of him who is without sense.
Proverbs 19:25When blows overtake the man of pride, the simple will get sense; say sharp words to the wise, and knowledge will be made clear to him.
Proverbs 27:22Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him.
2 Corinthians 10:6Being ready to give punishment to whatever is against his authority, after you have made it clear that you are completely under his control.
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 26:3
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. Here is, 1. The folly of passion. It makes men scatter causeless curses, wishing ill to others upon presumption that they are bad and have done ill, when either they mistake the person or misunderstand the fact, or they call evil good and good evil. Give honour to a fool, and he thunders out his anathemas against all that he is disgusted with, right or wrong. Great men, when wicked, think they have a privilege to keep… Read the whole commentary →