Proverbs 26:9

If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that (OR, he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, they do not help anyone who hears them.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

In Context

8Tying a stone in a sling so that it cannot be thrown at a target is as foolish as [SIM] honoring a foolish person.

10A man who shoots arrows to try to wound everybody who is near is foolish; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person who passes by is very foolish.

Read all of Proverbs 26

Cross References

Proverbs 23:35You will say, “ I think that someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I ◄wake up/feel normal again► in order that I can drink some more wine?”

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 26:7-10

6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage. 7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. 8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. 9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. To recommend wisdom to us, and to quicken us to the diligent use of all the means for the getting of wisdom, Solomon here shows that fools are fit for nothing; they are either… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Proverbs 26:9