Verse 4

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.

Other Translations

Referenced Verses

  • Judg 12:1-6 : 1 And the men of Ephraim gathered together, and went northward, and said to Jephthah, Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire. 2 And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were in great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands. 3 And when I saw that you did not deliver me, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: why then have you come up to me this day, to fight against me? 4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. 5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it happened, that when those Ephraimites who had escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? If he said, No; 6 Then they said to him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not pronounce it right. Then they took him, and killed him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites.
  • 2 Sam 19:41-43 : 41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king and his household, and all David's men with him, over the Jordan? 42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us; why then are you angry for this matter? Have we eaten at all of the king's expense? Or has he given us any gift? 43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than you; why then did you despise us, that our advice was not first in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
  • 1 Kgs 12:14 : 14 and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
  • 1 Kgs 12:16 : 16 So when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, David. So Israel departed to their tents.
  • 2 Kgs 14:8-9 : 8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us meet face to face. 9 And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife, and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trampled the thistle. 10 You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up; boast of this, and stay at home, for why should you meddle to your hurt, that you should fall, you and Judah with you?
  • Prov 17:14 : 14 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water, therefore leave off contention before it is meddled with.
  • Prov 26:5 : 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
  • Isa 36:21 : 21 But they held their peace and answered him not a word, for the king's order was, Do not answer him.
  • 1 Pet 2:21-23 : 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth: 23 Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously:
  • 1 Pet 3:9 : 9 Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
  • Jude 1:9 : 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!'