Proverbs 26:6

(As) An halting man in feet, and drinking wickedness, that is, drink harmful to himself, ( is) he that sendeth words by a fond messenger. (Like a person who is lame, and like someone who drinketh a drink that is harmful to himself, is he who sendeth words by a foolish messenger.)

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

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 thou (to) a fool after his folly, lest he seem to himself to be wise (or lest he thinketh himself to be wise).

7As an halting man hath fair legs in vain; so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools.

Read all of Proverbs 26

Cross References

Proverbs 10:26As vinegar harmeth the teeth, and smoke harmeth the eyes; so a slow man harmeth them that sent him in the way. (Like vinegar harmeth the teeth, and smoke harmeth the eyes; so a lazy man harmeth those who sent him on the way.)

Proverbs 25:13As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, so a faithful messenger to him that sent him, maketh his soul to have rest. (Like the cold of snow on the day of harvest, is a faithful messenger to him who sent him, for he maketh his soul to have rest.)

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 →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Proverbs 26:6