Proverbs 26:3-5 (ESV)

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the back of fools.

Answer not a fool according to his folly,

lest you be like him yourself.

Answer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be wise in his own eyes.

The charioteer used a whip to drive his horses ahead. A bridle was used to direct the path of the donkey, even along difficult and unstable grounds. In the same way, the rod, or force, is necessary to drive and direct the fool, who refuses the way of wisdom. Because of the fool’s lack of understanding, the righteous woman must be thoughtful and even shrewd when communicating with the unwise. The upright should never reply to the fool’s insults with further insults. In doing so, she would become foolish like him. At the same time, when the fool boasts as if his own logic is superior to the wisdom from God, it’s time for the righteous to speak up and show the fool the error of his reasoning. We must never behave like the fool, yet we must respond intelligently to his stupidity. In both cases, the hope is that the fool will wise up and ultimately repent.

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