⁴ Never answer a fool on his own foolish terms,
    or you will become like him;
⁵ Rather, answer a fool on his own foolish terms,
    or he will become wise in his own eyes.

⁶ Like someone who cuts off his feet or drinks to his ruin,
    so is the one who uses a fool to pass on his message.
⁷ As lame legs are useless, dangling on the crippled,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
⁸ Like one who ties a stone in his slingshot,
    so is one who honors a fool.
⁹ Like a thorn in the hand of a drunkard,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
¹⁰ Like an archer who shoots at random and injures everyone,
    so is a person who hires a fool or someone off the street.^[a]
11 Like a dog who goes back to his own vomit,^[b]
    so is a fool who always returns to his foolishness.

⁹ When the wise go to court against a fool,
    there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.