Proverbs 26:3
Horses need a whip, donkeys need a bridle, and stupid people need a rod on their backs!
Free Bible 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
4Don't answer stupid people following their stupidity, or you'll become as bad as them.
Cross References
Judges 8:5When they got to Succoth, Gideon asked the people there, “Please provide some bread to the men with me because they're worn out—I'm pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the Midianite kings.”
Proverbs 10:13Wisdom comes from people with good judgment, but stupid people are punished with a rod.
Proverbs 19:25If you punish someone who mocks, you may help an immature person to learn. Correct the wise, and they become wiser.
Proverbs 27:22Even if you ground stupid people in a mortar, crushing them like grain with the pestle, you can't get rid of stupidity from them.
2 Corinthians 10:6When you are completely obeying Christ then we're ready to punish any disobedience.
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 →