Proverbs 26:3
A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
Leeser Tanakh
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 answer a fool according to his folly, lest thou also become equal unto him.
Cross References
Judges 8:5And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, a few loaves of bread unto the people that are in my train; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebach and Zalmunna,' the kings of Midian.
Proverbs 10:13On the lips of the man of understanding there is found wisdom: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of sense.
Proverbs 19:25Smite a scorner, and the simple will become prudent; and if one that hath understanding be admonished, he will understand knowledge.
Proverbs 27:22Though thou shouldst pound the fool in a mortar, in the midst of grains of wheat with a pestle: still would his folly not depart from him.
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 →