3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the backs of fools!

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

or you yourself will be just like him.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

or he will be wise in his own eyes.

6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool

is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.

7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8 Like tying a stone in a sling

is the giving of honor to a fool.

9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

10 Like an archer who wounds at random

is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.

11 As a dog returns to its vomit,

so fools repeat their folly.

12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for them.

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the back of fools.

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,

lest you be like him yourself.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

7 Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling

is one who gives honor to a fool.

9 Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 Like an archer who wounds everyone

is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit

is a fool who repeats his folly.

12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the fool’s back. 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. 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. 10 The great God that formed all things Both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. 11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, So a fool returneth to his folly. 12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,

and a fool with a rod to his back!

4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,

or you will become as foolish as they are.

5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,

or they will become wise in their own estimation.

6 Trusting a fool to convey a message

is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!

7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is as useless as a paralyzed leg.

8 Honoring a fool

is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.

9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.

10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander

is like an archer who shoots at random.

11 As a dog returns to its vomit,

so a fool repeats his foolishness.

12 There is more hope for fools

than for people who think they are wise.

3 Whips are for horses, and harnesses are for donkeys,

so paddles are good for fools.

4 Don’t answer fools when they speak foolishly,

or you will be just like them.

5 Answer fools when they speak foolishly,

or they will think they are really wise.

6 Sending a message by a foolish person

is like cutting off your feet or drinking poison.

7 A wise saying spoken by a fool

is as useless as the legs of a crippled person.

8 Giving honor to a foolish person

is like tying a stone in a slingshot.

9 A wise saying spoken by a fool

is like a thorn stuck in the hand of a drunk.

10 Hiring a foolish person or anyone just passing by

is like an archer shooting at just anything.

11 A fool who repeats his foolishness

is like a dog that goes back to what it has thrown up.

12 There is more hope for a foolish person

than for those who think they are wise.

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,

And a rod for the back of fools.

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.

6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool

Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage.

7 The legs of the lame hang loose;

So is a parable in the mouth of fools.

8 As one that bindeth a stone in a sling,

So is he that giveth honor to a fool.

9 As a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,

So is a parable in the mouth of fools.

10 As an archer that woundeth all,

So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.

11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit,

So is a fool that repeateth his folly.

12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?

There is more hope of a fool than of him.

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

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 eyes.

6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh damage. 7 The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 8 As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. 9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.

11 As a dog turneth back to its vomit, so a fool repeateth his folly.

12 Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

3 A whip is for the horse, 

a bridle is for the donkey, 

and a rod is for the backs of fools. 

4 Do not answer a fool with his own stupidity, 

or you will be like him. 

5 Answer a fool with his own stupidity, 

or he will think he is wise. 

6 Whoever uses a fool to send a message 

cuts off his own feet and brings violence upon himself. 

7 ⸤Like⸥ a lame person’s limp legs, 

so is a proverb in the mouths of fools. 

8 Like tying a stone to a sling, 

so is giving honor to a fool. 

9 ⸤Like⸥ a thorn stuck in a drunk’s hand, 

so is a proverb in the mouths of fools. 

10 ⸤Like⸥ many people who destroy everything, 

so is one who hires fools or drifters. 

11 As a dog goes back to its vomit, 

⸤so⸥ a fool repeats his stupidity. 

12 Have you met a person who thinks he is wise? 

There is more hope for a fool than for him. 

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the backs of fools.

4 Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness

or you’ll be like him yourself.

5 Answer a fool according to his foolishness

or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.

6 The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand

cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is like lame legs that hang limp.

8 Giving honor to a fool

is like binding a stone in a sling.

9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is like a stick with thorns,

brandished by the hand of a drunkard.

10 The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by

is like an archer who wounds everyone.

11 As a dog returns to its vomit,

so a fool repeats his foolishness.

12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the back of fools.

4 Do not answer fools according to their folly,

or you will be a fool yourself.

5 Answer fools according to their folly,

or they will be wise in their own eyes.

6 It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,

to send a message by a fool.

7 The legs of a disabled person hang limp;

so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8 It is like binding a stone in a sling

to give honor to a fool.

9 Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

10 Like an archer who wounds everybody

is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit

is a fool who reverts to his folly.

12 Do you see persons wise in their own eyes?

There is more hope for fools than for them.

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the back of fools.

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly

lest you become like him—even you.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

or else he will be wise in his own eyes.

6 Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,

so is he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.

7 Like legs that hang limp from a lame person,

so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Like binding a stone in a sling,

so is giving honor to a fool.

9 Like a thorn that goes up in the hand of a drunkard,

so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 Like an archer who wounds everyone,

so is he who hires a fool or he who hires passersby.

11 Like a dog returning to his vomit

is a fool reverting to his folly.

12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

3 A whip is for a horse. A harness is for a donkey.

And a beating is for the backs of foolish people.

4 Don’t answer a foolish person in keeping with his foolish acts.

If you do, you will be like him yourself.

5 Answer a foolish person in keeping with his foolish acts.

If you do, he won’t be wise in his own eyes.

6 Sending a message in the hand of a foolish person

is like cutting off your feet or drinking something harmful.

7 A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person

is like disabled legs that are useless.

8 Giving honor to a foolish person

is like tying a stone in a slingshot.

9 A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person

is like a thorn in the hand of someone who is drunk.

10 Anyone who hires a foolish person or someone who is passing by

is like a person who shoots arrows at just anybody.

11 A foolish person who does the same foolish things again

is like a dog that returns to where it has thrown up.

12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a foolish person than for him.

3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

And a rod for the back of fools.

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

Or you will also be like him.

5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves,

That he not be wise in his own eyes.

6 He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence

Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.

7 Like the legs which are useless to the lame,

So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling,

So is he who gives honor to a fool.

9 Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard,

So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 Like an archer who wounds everyone,

So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.

11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit

Is a fool who repeats his folly.

12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.