12 Let a man meet (A)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    (B)rather than a fool in his folly.

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12 Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs
    than to confront a fool immersed in folly.(A)

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Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    for he will despise the good sense of your words.

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Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    who will only despise the wisdom of your words.(A)

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(A)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
(B)Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be (C)wise in his own eyes.
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
    cuts off his own feet and (D)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 (E)one who gives honor to a fool.
Like (F)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.[a]
11 Like (G)a dog that returns to his vomit
    is (H)a fool who repeats his folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby

Do not answer fools according to their folly,
    lest you be a fool yourself.(A)
Answer fools according to their folly,
    lest they be wise in their own eyes.(B)
It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,
    to send a message by a fool.
The legs of a lame person hang limp;
    so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(C)
It is like binding a stone in a sling
    to give honor to a fool.(D)
Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(E)
10 Like an archer who wounds everybody
    is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[a]
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit
    is a fool who reverts to his folly.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 26.10 Meaning of Heb uncertain

22 (A)Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
    along with crushed grain,
    yet his folly will not depart from him.

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22 Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
    along with crushed grain,
    but the folly will not be driven out.(A)

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If a wise man has an argument with a fool,
    the fool only rages and laughs, and there is (A)no quiet.

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If the wise go to law with fools,
    there is ranting and ridicule without relief.

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