April 1st, 2025
The word fool occurs 186 times in the Bible (146 times in the Old Testament and 40 times in the New Testament). The word fools occurs 36 times. The word foolish occurs 89 times. Foolishness occurs 20 times. Folly occurs 41 times. This is from an electronic search in the 1901 American Standard Version. These words, fool, fools, foolish, foolishness and folly are found in the Book of Proverbs respectively, 77, 18, 22, 5 and 3 times (totaling 125 occurrences). The words fool and fools and folly are found 14 in times in Proverbs Ch. 26. Of those 14 occurrences those in versus four and five are interesting. How are they to be understood?
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,
Lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Does verse four mean we should not give an answer to a fool? No, for it would then say only “Answer not a fool less thou be like unto him.” It says instead Answer [him] not according to his folly. But the next verse begins “Answer a fool according to his folly…” This mat seems to be a contradiction. Here is a possible rendering that shows the meaning.
Don't talk foolishly with a fool or you will become like a fool.
Show a fool his foolishness that he may become wise.
Proverbs 26:1-12
American Standard Version
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
So honor is not seemly for a fool.
2 As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying,
So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
And a rod for the back of fools.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,
Lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool
Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage.
7 The legs of the lame hang loose;
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As one that bindeth a stone in a sling,
So is he that giveth honor to a fool.
9 As a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 As an archer that woundeth all,
So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit,
So is a fool that repeateth his folly.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.
