Proverbs

Proverbs 26:4–5

⁴Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

or you yourself will be like him.

⁵Answer a fool according to his folly,

lest he become wise in his own eyes.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
answer	תַּ֣עַן	ta·‘an	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular	H6030 answer, respond
a fool	כְּ֭סִיל	kə·sîl	Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
according to his folly	כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ	kə·’iw·wal·tōw	Preposition-k; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H200 folly
or	פֶּֽן־	pen-	Conjunction	H6435 lest
you yourself	אָֽתָּה׃	’āt·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
will be like him	תִּשְׁוֶה־	tiš·weh-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7737 be even, smooth

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Answer	עֲנֵ֣ה	‘ă·nêh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H6030 answer, respond
a fool	כְ֭סִיל	ḵə·sîl	Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
according to his folly	כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ	kə·’iw·wal·tōw	Preposition-k; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H200 folly
lest	פֶּן־	pen-	Conjunction	H6435 lest
he become	יִהְיֶ֖ה	yih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
wise	חָכָ֣ם	ḥā·ḵām	Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
in his own eyes	בְּעֵינָֽיו׃	bə·‘ê·nāw	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc; third person masculine singular	H5869 eye

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Proverbs 26:4 1 Peter 3:9 · Proverbs 26:5 · Jude 1:9 · Proverbs 17:14 · 1 Kings 12:14

Proverbs 26:5 Romans 12:16 · Matthew 16:1–4 · Proverbs 3:7 · Matthew 21:23–27 · Luke 12:13–21 · Titus 1:13 · John 9:26–33 · Proverbs 26:12 · Proverbs 28:11 · John 8:7 · Proverbs 26:4 · Romans 11:25

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.