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12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man,
    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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Don’t speak in the ears of a fool,
    for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

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(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

Don’t answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest you also be like him.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be wise in his own eyes.
One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
    is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
Like the legs of the lame that hang loose,
    so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
As one who binds a stone in a sling,
    so is he who gives honor to a fool.
Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard,
    so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 As an archer who wounds all,
    so is he who hires a fool
    or he who hires those who pass by.
11 As a dog that returns to his vomit,
    so is a fool who repeats his folly.

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(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 grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,
    yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.

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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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If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man,
    the fool rages or scoffs, and there is no peace.

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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