(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.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:4 I.e., taking his question or argument seriously

Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness,
    or you will be just like him.
Answer a fool according to his foolishness,
    or he will think himself to be wise.

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17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears,
So is one who passes by and [a]meddles with (A)strife not belonging to him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:17 Lit infuriates himself

17 Picking up a dog by the ears—
    that’s what someone is like who[a] meddles in another’s fight.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:17 Lit. who, as he is passing by,

20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no (A)gossiper, (B)quarreling quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a (C)contentious person to kindle strife.

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On Gossip and Backbiting

20 Without wood, the fire goes out.
    Without a gossip, contention stops.
21 Charcoal is to hot coals
    as wood is to fire;
        so also a quarrelsome man fuels strife.

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22 An (A)angry person stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered person abounds in wrongdoing.

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22 An angry man stirs up arguments,
    and a hot-tempered man causes many transgressions.

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33 For the [a]churning of milk produces butter,
And pressing the nose produces blood;
So the [b]churning of (A)anger produces strife.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 30:33 Lit pressing
  2. Proverbs 30:33 Lit pressing

33 Just as whipping milk produces butter,
    and twisting the nose causes bleeding,
        so also stirring up anger produces contention.

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