26 It shouldn’t snow in summer or rain at harvest.
    Neither should a foolish person ever be honored.

³ A whip is used to guide a horse, and a harness is used for a donkey.
    In the same way, a paddle is used on a foolish person to guide him.

⁴ Don’t give a foolish person a foolish answer.
    If you do, you will be just like him.

⁵ But answer a foolish person as he should be answered.
    If you don’t, he will think he is really wise.

⁶ Don’t send a message by a foolish person.
    That would be like cutting off your feet or drinking poison.

⁷ A wise saying spoken by a fool does no good.
    It is like the legs of a crippled person.

⁸ Giving honor to a foolish person does no good.
    It 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 Someone might employ a foolish person or anyone just passing by.
    That employer is like an archer who shoots at anything he sees.

¹¹ A dog eats what it throws up.
    And a foolish person repeats his foolishness.

¹² Some people think they are wise.
    There is more hope for a foolish person than for them.