Proverbs 26:5
Answer a fool according to his folly, || Lest he is wise in his own eyes.
Literal Standard Version
In The King James Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
In Context
4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, || Lest you are like to him—even you.
6He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, || Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
Cross References
Proverbs 3:7Do not be wise in your own eyes, || Fear YHWH, and turn aside from evil.
Proverbs 26:12You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, || More hope of a fool than of him!
Isaiah 5:21Woe [to] the wise in their own eyes, || And—before their own faces—intelligent!
Matthew 15:1Then they come to Jesus from Jerusalem—scribes and Pharisees—saying,
Matthew 21:23And He having come into the temple, there came to Him when teaching the chief priests and the elders of the people, saying, “By what authority do You do these things? And who gave You this authority?”
Luke 12:13And a certain one out of the multitude said to Him, “Teacher, say to my brother to divide with me the inheritance.”
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 26:5-6
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. See here the noble security of the scripture-style, which seems to contradict itself, but really does not. Wise men have need to be directed how to deal with fools; and they have never more need of wisdom than in dealing with such, to know when to keep silence and when to speak, for there may be a time for both. 1. In some cases a wise man will not set his wit to… Read the whole commentary →