Proverbs 26:5
in Proverbs 26Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
KJV
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
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This verse in Proverbs 26
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Do not answer a fool according to his folly
on Proverbs 26:4-5
"Do not answer a fool according to his folly" stands beside "Answer a fool according to his folly." A proverb is wisdom for a situation. Do not sink to his manner, "or you yourself will be like him," yet puncture his self-estimate, "lest he become wise in his own eyes."
This site's exposition
lest he become wise in his own eyes
Verse 4 says hold back, and verse 5 says answer. One answer copies his folly and makes you like him, and the other stops the fool from becoming wise in his own eyes. Knowing which case is in front of you is the wisdom the pair teaches.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Answer a fool according to his folly,....
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עֲנֵ֣ה | ʾaneh | answer | H6030 → | 331 times |
| כְ֭סִיל | khesil | a fool | H3684 → | 70 times |
| כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ | keivalto | according to foolishness his | H200 → | 25 times |
| פֶּן־ | pen- | lest | H6435 → | 133 times |
| יִהְיֶ֖ה | yihyeh | he should be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| חָכָ֣ם | chakham | wise | H2450 → | 138 times |
| בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ | beeinav | in own eyes his | H5869 → | 887 times |
עֲנֵ֣הanswer
ʾanehH6030 →331 times
כְ֭סִילa fool
khesilH3684 →70 times
כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹaccording to foolishness his
keivaltoH200 →25 times
פֶּן־lest
pen-H6435 →133 times
יִהְיֶ֖הhe should be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
חָכָ֣םwise
chakhamH2450 →138 times
בְּעֵינָֽיו׃in own eyes his
beeinavH5869 →887 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 3:7Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
it leads to
- Job 28:28
And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.
- Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- Proverbs 16:6
By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
- Job 1:1
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
- Job 28:28
Through
John 8:7When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”
it leads to
- Matthew 7:1–5
“Do not judge, or you will be judged.
- Matthew 7:1–5
Through
Romans 12:16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
- Proverbs 3:7
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
- 1 Peter 3:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
About Proverbs
This page draws on Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.