Proverbs 26:3
A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
Catholic Public Domain Version
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 respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
Cross References
Judges 8:5And he said to the men of Succoth, “I beg you, give bread to the people who are with me, for they are greatly weakened, so that we may be able to pursue Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
Proverbs 10:13In the lips of the wise, wisdom is discovered. And a rod is for the back of one who lacks heart.
Proverbs 19:25When the pestilent are scourged, the foolish will become wiser. But if you chastise the wise, he will understand discipline.
Proverbs 27:22Even if you were to crush the foolish with a mortar, as when a pestle strikes over pearled barley, his foolishness would not be taken from him.
2 Corinthians 10:6and standing ready to repudiate every disobedience, when your own obedience has been fulfilled.
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 →