¹² Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

⁹ Speak not in the hearing of a fool;
For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

⁴ Answer not a fool according to his folly,
Lest thou also be like unto him.
⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in ^[a]his own conceit.
⁶ He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool
Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage.
⁷ The legs of the lame hang loose;
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
⁸ As one that bindeth a stone in a sling,
So is he that giveth honor to a fool.
⁹ As a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
^10 [b]As an archer that woundeth all,
So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
¹¹ As a dog that returneth to his vomit,
So is a fool that repeateth his folly.

²² Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with bruised grain,
Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

⁹ If a wise man hath a controversy with a foolish man,
^[a]Whether he be angry or laugh, there will be no rest.