PROV 26:5 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Answer a fool according to their foolish thinking,
⇔ so they don’t think they’re cleverer than they are.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Ἀλλὰ ἀποκρίνου ἄφρονι κατὰ τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ φαίνηται σοφὸς παρʼ ἑαυτῷ.
(Alla apokrinou afroni kata taʸn afrosunaʸn autou, hina maʸ fainaʸtai sofos parʼ heautōi. )

BrTr Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.

ULT Answer a stupid one according to his folly,
⇔ lest he become wise in his eyes.

UST Reply to foolish people according to their foolish way of thinking.
⇔ If you do not, then they may think that they are wise.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Answer a fool according to his folly,
⇔ lest he be wise in his own eyes.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Answer a fool according to his folly,
⇔ lest he be wise in his own estimation.

LSV Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he is wise in his own eyes.

FBV Answer stupid people following their stupidity, otherwise they'll think they're wise.[fn]

26:5 While this verse appears to contradict the previous one, there is a play on words here. In the first, “following their stupidity” means “agreeing with it.” In the second, the phrase means “as it deserves.”

T4T ⇔ If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question,
⇔ he will realize that he is ◄not very wise/foolish►.

LEB • Answer a fool according to his folly, or else he will be wise in his own eyes.

BBE Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.

Moff answer a fool according to his folly,
⇔ lest he imagines he is wise.

JPS Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

ASV Answer a fool according to his folly,
⇔ Lest he be wise in his own conceit.

DRA Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.

YLT Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

Drby Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

RV Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

SLT Answer the foolish according to his folly lest he shall be wise in his own eyes.

Wbstr Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

KJB-1769 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.[fn]

26.5 conceit: Heb. eyes

KJB-1611 [fn]Answere a foole according to his folly, lest hee be wise in his owne conceit.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above apart from footnotes)

26:5 Heb. his owne eyes.

Bshps But make the foole an aunswere to his foolishnesse, lest he be wyse in his owne conceipt.
(But make the fool an answer to his foolishness, lest he be wise in his own conceit.)

Gnva Answere a foole according to his foolishnes, least he be wise in his owne conceite.
(Answer a fool according to his foolishnes, least he be wise in his own conceite. )

Cvdl but make ye foole an answere to his foolishnesse, lest he be wyse in his owne coceate.
(but make ye/you_all fool an answer to his foolishness, lest he be wise in his own coceate.)

Wycl Answere thou a fool bi his fooli, lest he seme to him silf to be wijs.
(Answer thou/you a fool by his fooli, lest he seem to himself to be wise.)

Luth Antworte aber dem Narren nach seiner Narrheit, daß er sich nicht weise lasse dünken.
(Answer(v) but to_him fool(n) after his folly, that he itself/yourself/themselves not wise let seem.)

ClVg Responde stulto juxta stultitiam suam, ne sibi sapiens esse videatur.
(Responde stupid next_to stupidity his_own, not to_himself wise to_be it_seems. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 25:1–29:27: This is Hezekiah’s collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the second collection of Solomon’s proverbs. These proverbs were organized and copied by men who served King Hezekiah. Most scholars divide this section into two groups. These groups differ in several ways.

The first group (chapters 25–27) has many more comparisons and admonitions. In Hebrew, most of these comparisons are metaphors in which one or more illustrations precede the topic. Some English versions change the order so that the topic precedes the illustration(s). You should follow the order that expresses the meaning naturally and effectively in your language.

In the first group, many proverbs are one verse long. As with the individual proverbs in the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs (Section 10:1–22:16), they are not related to the proverbs around them. Other proverbs in this group are two or more verses long. Still others are one-verse proverbs that are closely related in theme. Proverbs in all three categories will be marked as separate paragraphs.

The second group (chapters 28–29) has more contrastive proverbs. The proverbs in this group are each one verse long. They will not be marked as separate paragraphs.

Some other headings for this section are:

More Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah (NET)

These are also wise things that Solomon said

Paragraph 26:4–5

These two proverbs are closely related. They assume a situation in which a fool has started to argue with someone or has said something in a foolish, angry, or insulting way.

The first lines advise the reader how to respond to the fool. The second lines give the undesirable result of not following the advice.

^4aDo not answer a fool according to his folly,

^4bor you yourself will be like him.

^5aAnswer a fool according to his folly,

^5blest he become wise in his own eyes.

In Hebrew and in many English versions, the first lines of each verse are identical except for the negative command “Do not” in 26:4a. They appear to give contradictory advice. Some ways to explain the apparent contradiction are:

Different situations may require a different response.
The meaning of the phrase “according to his folly” differs in 26:4a and 26:5a.
The results in the second lines differ from one another. Verse 26:4b describes the result on the reader. Verse 26:5b describes the result on the fool. These different results fit the different meanings of the first lines.

There are different ways to interpret the advice in each of the first lines. These will be discussed separately in the notes on 26:4a and 26:5a.

26:5a

Answer a fool according to his folly,

You^(sing) should reply to what fools say with words that suit/fit their foolishness.
When you answer a fool, speak in a way that is appropriate/suitable for a fool.

Answer a fool according to his folly: This advice probably means “Answer the fool in a way that is appropriate for his foolishness.” Most scholars agree that an appropriate answer is an answer that fools are able to understand. It is an answer that will show them their own foolishness. It will keep them from thinking that they are wise (26:5b).

Scholars disagree about the kind of answer that is appropriate. It may be an answer that is serious, such as a warning, correction, or rebuke.Scholars who favor this interpretation include Waltke, Fox, Cook, Ross, Toy, and Cohen. Toy (page 473) comments, “the second (couplet) enjoins rebuke of folly.” Cohen (page 174) says, “When a fool expresses a view which is clearly wrong, it is necessary to correct him…” It may also be an answer that is intended to sound foolish.Scholars who favor this interpretation include Scott (pages 157, 159) and Kidner (page 162). Scott comments that using a fool’s “own foolish terms” will “show the fool his mistake in language he can understand.” Most English versions, including the BSB, do not specify whether the answer is serious or foolish. It is recommended that you translate in a way that allows either interpretation. For example:

answer fools as they should be answeredThis example is almost identical to the NCV. The NCV begins 26:5 with the word “But,” indicating a contrast with “a foolish answer” in 26:4.

answer a fool as his folly deserves (REB)It is possible that a fool’s folly deserves a stern rebuke. It is also possible that his foolish remarks deserve an obviously foolish answer that will show how foolish the fool really is.

26:5b

lest he become wise in his own eyes.

Otherwise, they will think that they are wise.
If you^(sing) do not speak like that, he will consider himself to be wise.

lest: See the note on “or" in 26:4b.

he become wise in his own eyes: This line means that the fool will become wise in his own opinion. Some other ways to translate this line are:

lest he be wise in his own estimation (NET)

or they will think they are really wise (NCV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

כְ֭סִיל כְּ⁠אִוַּלְתּ֑⁠וֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּ⁠עֵינָֽי⁠ו

fool according,to_of,his_foolishness lest will_belong wise in,his_own_of,eyes

Here, a stupid one, his, and he refer to a type of person in general, not a specific person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. See how you translated a stupid one in [10:18](../10/18.md). Alternate translation: “any stupid person according to that person’s folly, lest that person become wise in that person’s own eyes”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כְ֭סִיל כְּ⁠אִוַּלְתּ֑⁠וֹ

fool according,to_of,his_foolishness

See how you translated this phrase in the previous verse.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

חָכָ֣ם בְּ⁠עֵינָֽי⁠ו

wise in,his_own_of,eyes

See how you translated the same use of eyes in [3:7](../03/07.md).

Parallel PROV 26:5

Section 25:1–29:27: This is Hezekiah’s collection of Solomon’s proverbs

Paragraph 26:4–5

26:5a

26:5b