Proverbs 17:12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
12 Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs
than to confront a fool immersed in folly.(A)
Proverbs 17:12
Common English Bible
12 Safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than fools in their folly.
Proverbs 23:9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
who will only despise the wisdom of your words.(A)
Proverbs 23:9
Common English Bible
9 Don’t speak in the ears of fools,
for they will scorn your insightful words.
Proverbs 26:4-11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 Do not answer fools according to their folly,
lest you be a fool yourself.(A)
5 Answer fools according to their folly,
lest they be wise in their own eyes.(B)
6 It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,
to send a message by a fool.
7 The legs of a lame person hang limp;
so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(C)
8 It is like binding a stone in a sling
to give honor to a fool.(D)
9 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)
Footnotes
- 26.10 Meaning of Heb uncertain
Proverbs 26:4-11
Common English Bible
4 Don’t answer fools according to their folly,
or you will become like them yourself.
5 Answer fools according to their folly,
or they will deem themselves wise.
6 Sending messages with a fool
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking down violence.
7 As legs dangle from a disabled person,
so does a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like tying a stone in a sling,
so is giving respect to a fool.
9 Like a thorny bush in the hand of a drunk,
so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds someone randomly,
so is one who hires a fool or a passerby.
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats foolish mistakes.
Proverbs 27:22
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
22 Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
along with crushed grain,
but the folly will not be driven out.(A)
Proverbs 27:22
Common English Bible
22 Even if you grind fools in a mortar,
even grinding them along with the grain,
their folly won’t be driven from them.
Proverbs 29:9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
9 If the wise go to law with fools,
there is ranting and ridicule without relief.
Proverbs 29:9
Common English Bible
9 When the wise make a legal charge against the foolish,
the fools shout, they laugh—there is no calm.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible