Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.
- BSB Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
- NKJV Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.
- NASB Do not answer a fool according to his foolishness, Or you will also be like him.
- NLT Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Do not answer a fool on his own foolish terms, or you will become like him. Avoid being dragged down to his level.
Overview
Paired deliberately with verse 5, this warns against engaging folly in a way that adopts its assumptions and tone. The two verses together teach discernment: there is a time to refuse the fool's terms. Wisdom knows when silence guards one's own integrity rather than feeding an argument.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Prov 26:5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
- 1 Pet 3:9Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
- Jude 1:9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
- 1 Kgs 12:14And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
- Prov 17:14The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
- Judg 12:1–6And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
- 2 Sam 19:41–43And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan?
- 1 Kgs 12:16So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
- 2 Kgs 14:8–10Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.
- 1 Pet 2:21–23For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
- Isa 36:21But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 26:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.