Sometimes, answer; sometimes, hush.

To say or not to say…

Sometimes, we need to answer foolish things and foolish people with wisdom. Sometimes, we need to move on. It takes Holy Spirit discernment to determine a course of action sometimes. At other times, it just takes a little God-induced common sense.

In Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase, The Message, he chooses to express Proverbs 26:4-5 like this: “Don’t respond to the stupidity of a fool; you’ll only look foolish yourself. Answer a fool in simple terms so he doesn’t get a swelled head.”

Those two verses seem to contradict, but, as the ESV Study Bible notes, “‘To answer a fool according to his folly’ (v. 5) is to keep replying to his remarks in order to show up their folly. Verse 4 gives the general policy (‘answer not a fool’), because you will end up like him yourself as he responds to your reply with further folly: the interchange will have no end. Verse 5 gives the exception (‘answer a fool’), because sometimes he or others may think to their own harm that he cannot be answered.”

Secondly, sometimes it is not for us to answer, nor is it the time or place. That’s where honesty comes in (in some cases); we need to be bold enough to know when we are not equipped to step into a discussion or debate. Sometimes, we pick fights in public forums when we ought to only be speaking in private places. This causes people to respond defensively or in anger.

Thirdly, sometimes we speak and it edifies and instructs and it helps, and we point out folly and help people arrive at God’s feet (not ours!). Other times, it’s easy to see no one is listening and it’s not really a conversation. Often, we see the latter upfront, and can save ourselves ANY comment. We often get lost in arguments over moral symptoms and cultural issues when what we need to be doing is exemplifying and proclaiming our saving Christ. However, it’s not just that we say something, we need to speak truth, in love, with gentleness, while abiding in Jesus, filled of the Spirit. If we can’t fill that bill, we probably ought to just be quiet.

The following is Proverbs 26:4-5 in different translations. I add it to give us various expressions to help in our meditation on this wisdom tension.

 

Proverbs 26:4

English Standard Version
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.

 

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness or you'll be like him yourself.

 

King James Version
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

 

New American Standard Bible
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him.

 

New International Version
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.

 

New Living Translation
Don't answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.

 

Proverbs 26:5

English Standard Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

 

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he'll become wise in his own eyes.

 

King James Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

 

New American Standard Bible
Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes.

 

New International Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.

 

New Living Translation
Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.