Proverbs 26:4
Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him — even thou.
Young's Literal Translation
In The King James Version
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
In Context
3A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
5Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Cross References
Judges 12:1And the men of Ephraim are called together, and pass over northward, and say to Jephthah, 'Wherefore has thou passed over to fight against the Bene-Ammon, and on us hast not called to go with thee? thy house we burn over thee with fire.'
1 Kings 12:14and speaketh unto them, according to the counsel of the lads, saying, 'My father made your yoke heavy, and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I — I chastise you with scorpions;'
2 Kings 14:8then hath Amaziah sent messengers unto Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, 'Come, we look one another in the face.'
Proverbs 26:5Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
1 Peter 2:21for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps,
Jude 1:9yet Michael, the chief messenger, when, with the devil contending, he was disputing about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring up an evil-speaking judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke thee!'
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 26:4
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. Here, 1. Wicked men are compared to the horse and the ass, so brutish are they, so unreasonable, so unruly, and not to be governed but by force or fear, so low has sin sunk men, so much below themselves. Man indeed is born like the wild ass's colt, but as some by the grace of God are changed, and become rational, so others by custom in sin are hardened, and become more and more sottish, as the horse and the mule, Ps. xxxii. 9 . 2.… Read the whole commentary →