Proverbs 26:3

Beating be to an horse, and a bridle to an ass; and a rod to the back of unprudent men.

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

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

2For as a bird flying over to high things, and as a sparrow going into uncertain; so cursing brought forth without reasonable cause shall come above into some man. (Like a bird flying over to high places, and like a sparrow going into uncertainty; so cursing brought forth without a reasonable cause, shall simply go over someone, and not touch them.)

4Answer thou not to a fool after his folly, lest thou be made like him.

Read all of Proverbs 26

Cross References

Judges 8:5And he said to the men of Succoth, I beseech (thee), give ye (some) loaves to the people, that is with me; for they failed greatly (or for they faint now), (so) that we may then pursue Zebah and Zalmunna, (the) kings of Midian.

Proverbs 10:13Wisdom is found in the lips of a wise man; and a rod in the back of him that is needy of heart. (Wisdom is found on the lips of the wise; and a rod on the back of him who is foolish.)

Proverbs 19:25When a man full of pestilence is beaten, a fool shall be the wiser, ( if he will but learn from his example, or from his experience). (But) If thou blamest a wise man, he shall understand (the) teaching.

Proverbs 27:22Though thou poundedest a fool in a mortar, as with a pestle smiting above dried barley (or like pounding dried barley with a pestle), his folly shall not be done away from him.

2 Corinthians 10:6And we have ready to (a)venge all unobedience (or And we be ready to punish all disobedience or rebellion), when your obedience shall be [ful] filled.

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 →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Proverbs 26:3