It is pretty much a given that "the wisest man in the world" wrote this book... or, at least, most of it...
Pro 26:4: Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Pro 26:5: Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Perhaps his "traditional marriage" to 700 wives and 300 concubines (I Kings 11:1-3) had addled his brain? Talk to the fool and become a fool, or talk to the fool and prove him a fool?
Of course, some of my regular audience members will say I am the fool...
Isn't that convenient? It seems Solomon may have been the fool for putting these verses back-to-back...
Or is it so wise it is above our feeble brains to comprehend?
Discuss....
4 comments:
Pro 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
It appear what he is saying is don't act like a fool to prove your point to a fool. If you stoop down to their level to prove your point then you are like a fool. Kinda telling you to take the high road in an arguement. Don't get in a shouting match with a fool or everyone will think you are just as foolish as your opponent.
Pro 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
If you do take the bait and get in a shouting match or act a fool to prove your point. Then your opponent will think of himself a much wiser person, because you took the bait and fell into foolishness.
What cs said is in the ballpark. I started to comment on this and it got too long, so I put my full comment on my blog, which I'd hyperlink but I don't know how to do in the comments section, so maybe Jason can do it if he feels like it.
Tom's complete comments can be found here: On Fools and Folly.
Be forearned, it's long--four parts!
Suffice to say, as a sum up of his post, yes, I can at times by hypocritical... It's hard to overcome religious indoctrination, esp. when you've never had a critical thinking course and are learning to do this on your own. Breaking that cycle of religious circular reasoning is slow in coming, but it is, indeed, coming...
I've also never had a writing course, but based on my readership, I think I have a knack for it...
Tom, will get to a longer response to some of your points later as time permits...
Ann, thanks for the logo! I'll add it later tonight!
Pro 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
It appear what he is saying is don't act like a fool to prove your point to a fool. If you stoop down to their level to prove your point then you are like a fool. Kinda telling you to take the high road in an arguement. Don't get in a shouting match with a fool or everyone will think you are just as foolish as your opponent.
Pro 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
If you do take the bait and get in a shouting match or act a fool to prove your point. Then your opponent will think of himself a much wiser person, because you took the bait and fell into foolishness.
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