10 Sending a messenger on a mission is like having another pair of feet. But if the messenger is a fool, this proverb says, not only does the sender not have an extra pair of feet—he cuts off the pair he has. It would not be simply that the message did not get through; it would get through incorrectly and be a setback! The other simile uses “violence,” a term for violent social wrongs and injustice. The metaphorical idea of “drinking” violence means suffering violence—it is one’s portion. So sending a fool on a mission will have injurious consequences.
11 The participle could be taken as the subject of the sentence: “the one who sends … cuts off … and drinks.”
12 The consequence is given in the first line and the cause in the second. It would be better not to send a message at all than to use a fool as messenger.
13 Heb “like the legs which hang down from the lame” (so ). The is דַּלְיוּ (dalyu), from דָּלַל (dalal, “to hang; to be low; to languish”) although the spelling of the form indicates it would be from דָּלָה (dalah, “to draw” [water]). The word indicates the uselessness of the legs—they are there but cannot be used. Luther gave the verse a fanciful but memorable rendering: “Like dancing to a cripple, so is a proverb in the mouth of the fool.”
14 The proverb does not begin with a ךְּ (bet) preposition to indicate a simile; but the analogy within the verse makes it clear that the first line is the emblem. The conjunction vav then indicates the equation—“so.”
15 As C. H. Toy puts it, the fool is a “proverb-monger” (Proverbs [], ); he handles an aphorism about as well as a lame man can walk. The fool does not understand, has not implemented, and cannot explain the proverb. It is useless to him even though he repeats it.
16 The translation “like tying a stone in a sling” seems to make the most sense, even though the word for “sling” occurs only here. The point is that only someone who does not know how a sling works would do such a stupid thing (R. N. Whybray, Proverbs [], 152). So to honor a fool would be absurd; it would be counterproductive, for he would still be a fool.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

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

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

Like one who binds the stone in the sling

is one who gives honor to a fool.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Sending a message by the hands of a fool

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

Like the useless legs of one who is lame

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

Like tying a stone in a sling

is the giving of honor to a fool.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

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

cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is like lame legs that hang limp.

Giving honor to a fool

is like binding a stone in a sling.

NLTNew Living Translation

Trusting a fool to convey a message

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

A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is as useless as a paralyzed leg.

Honoring a fool

is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,

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

Like legs that hang limp from a lame person,

so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

Like binding a stone in a sling,

so is giving honor to a fool.

KJV 1900King James Version

He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool

Cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.

The legs of the lame are not equal:

So is a parable in the mouth of fools.

As he that bindeth a stone in a sling,

So is he that giveth honour to a fool.

Public Domain