Biblical Wisdom
Side by Side
Proverbs 26 tells you not to answer a fool, and then, in the next verse, tells you to answer him.
Scripture Proverbs 26:4–5 · Proverbs 26:12
“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.”
“Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.”
Verse 4, then verse 5. Whoever arranged this chapter set them touching, and each one carries its own reason.
Answer him, and you may find yourself arguing on his terms. Keep quiet, and he may walk away more sure of himself than when he came.
Seven verses later the chapter says that there is more hope for a fool than for a man who is wise in his own eyes. So the second warning is the heavier one. Silence can leave a person worse off than a hard reply would have.
The book gives no rule for choosing. It hands over both sayings and leaves the choice with someone who has to look at this person, on this day, and decide. Knowing both proverbs by heart is the easy part.
Scripture in English is from the Berean Standard Bible, placed in the public domain by its publisher on 30 April 2023.