Proverbs 26:3
It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey to force them to go where we want them to go, and similarly [SIM] it is often necessary to strike foolish people with a stick to cause them to do what is right.
Translation for Translators
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
Cross References
Judges 8:5When they arrived at Succoth town, Gideon said to the town leaders, “Please give my men some food! They are very tired. We are pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
Proverbs 10:13Those who have good sense say [MTY] what is wise, but people who do not have good sense must be punished.
Proverbs 19:25If you punish someone who makes fun of those who are wise, those who ◄are naive/need to be instructed► will learn to do what is smart; if you rebuke those who are wise, they will listen to what you say and become wiser.
Proverbs 27:22Even if you beat/crush a fool severely like [MET] you pulverize grain with a pestle, you probably will not be able to cause him to stop ◄being foolish/doing foolish things►.
2 Corinthians 10:6I am also ready to discipline everyone among you who has not obeyed the things that Christ taught. I will do this as soon as you who truly want to obey Christ show me that you are going to obey him completely.
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 →