4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
Focused Passage
Proverbs 26:4
Fools, Sluggards, Quarrels, Gossip, Deceitful Speech, and the Ruin of Unrestrained Folly
The chapter moves from an extended warning about fools, to the self-deception of sluggards, to the danger of meddling and harmful joking, to gossip as conflict fuel, and finally to the concealed malice of lying and flattering speech.
Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources
Study Helps
References and Original Words
Verse 4
Cross-references
Original words
Do notאַל־H408Adverbanswerתַּ֣עַןH6030Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singulara foolכְּ֭סִילH3684Noun - masculine singularaccording to his follyכְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹH200Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularorפֶּֽן־H6435Conjunctionyou yourselfאָֽתָּה׃H859Pronoun - second person masculine singularwill be like himתִּשְׁוֶה־H7737Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .לּ֥וֹPreposition | third person masculine singular. . .גַם־H1571Conjunction