^4 (A)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
^5 (B)Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be ^(C)wise in his own eyes.

¹⁷ Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
    is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

²⁰ For lack of wood the fire goes out,
    and where there is no ^(A)whisperer, ^(B)quarreling ceases.
²¹ As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
    so is ^(C)a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

^22 (A)A man of wrath stirs up strife,
    and one given to anger causes much transgression.