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

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

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12 Let a (A)person meet a (B)bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his foolishness.

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(A)Do not speak in the [a]hearing of a fool,
For he will (B)despise the wisdom of your words.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:9 Lit ears

(A)Do not speak in the [a]hearing of a fool,
For he will (B)despise the insight of your speech.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:9 Lit ears

(A)Do not speak [a]to be heard by a fool,
For he will (B)despise the wisdom of your words.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:9 Lit in the ears of a

(A)Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Or you will also be like him.
(B)Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be (C)wise in his own eyes.
He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.
Like the legs which [a]are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like [b]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives honor to a fool.
Like a thorn which [c]falls into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 [d]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
11 Like (D)a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who (E)repeats [e]his folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:7 Lit hang down from
  2. Proverbs 26:8 Lit the binding of
  3. Proverbs 26:9 Lit goes up
  4. Proverbs 26:10 Or A master workman produces all things, But he who hires a fool is like one who hires those who pass by
  5. Proverbs 26:11 Lit with his

(A)Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you yourself also be like him.
(B)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be (C)wise in his own eyes.
He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends words by the hand of a fool.
Like the legs which hang limp on the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like [a]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives glory to a fool.
Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 [b]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
11 Like (D)a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who (E)repeats [c]his folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:8 Lit the binding of
  2. Proverbs 26:10 Or A master workman produces all things, But he who hires a fool is like one who hires those who pass by
  3. Proverbs 26:11 Lit with his

(A)Do not answer a fool [a]according to his foolishness,
Or you will also be like him.
(B)Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves,
So that he will not be (C)wise in his own eyes.
One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Chops off his own feet and drinks violence.
Like [b]useless legs to one who cannot walk,
So is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
Like [c]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is one who gives honor to a fool.
Like a thorn that [d]sticks in the hand of a heavy drinker,
So is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
10 [e]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is one who hires a fool or hires those who pass by.
11 Like (D)a dog that returns to its vomit,
So is a fool who (E)repeats [f]his foolishness.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:4 I.e., taking his question or argument seriously
  2. Proverbs 26:7 Lit legs that dangle from one paralyzed
  3. Proverbs 26:8 Lit the binding of
  4. Proverbs 26:9 Lit goes up
  5. Proverbs 26:10 Or A master workman produces all things, But one who hires a fool is like one who hires those who pass by
  6. Proverbs 26:11 Lit with his

22 Though you (A)pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

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22 Though you (A)pound an ignorant fool in a mortar with a pestle in the midst of crushed grain,
His [a]folly will not turn aside from him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:22 A lack of wisdom due to negligence or carelessness; the activity of an ignorant fool

22 Though you (A)pound the fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
His foolishness still will not leave him.

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When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man,
[a]The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:9 Lit He

When a wise man is brought into judgment with a man who is an ignorant fool,
[a]The ignorant fool both rages and laughs, and there is no rest.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:9 Lit He

When a wise person has a controversy with a foolish person,
[a]The foolish person either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:9 Lit He