Proverbs 26:6
He that sendeth a message by the yad of a kesil (fool) 1 cutteth off the raglayim, and drinketh chamas. 1
Orthodox Jewish Bible
In The King James Version
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
In Context
5Answer a kesil (fool) according to his folly, 1 lest he be chacham in his own eyes. 1
7The legs of the pisei'ach (lame man) hang limp; 1 so is a mashal in the peh (mouth) of kesilim. 1
Cross References
Proverbs 10:26As chometz to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, 1 so is the atzel (sluggard, lazy one) to them that send him. 1
Proverbs 25:13As the cold of sheleg (snow) in the yom katzir (day of harvest), 1 so is a tzir ne'eman (faithful envoy) to them that send him; 1 for he refresheth the nefesh of his adonim. 1
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 →