John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 26:5
Answer a fool according to his folly ,.... The Targum is, "but speak with a fool in thy wisdom;' and the Syriac version, "yea, speak with a fool according to thy wisdom;' which would at once remove the seeming contradiction in these words to the former, but then they are not a true version; indeed it is right, and must be the sense, that when a fool is answered, as it is sometimes necessary he should, that it be done in wisdom, and so as to expose his folly; he is to be answered and... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 26:4-5
See here the noble security of the scripture-style, which seems to contradict itself, but really does not. Wise men have need to be directed how to deal with fools; and they have never more need of wisdom than in dealing with such, to know when to keep silence and when to speak, for there may be a time for both. 1. In some cases a wise man will not set his wit to that of a fool so far as to answer him according to his folly ?If he boast of himself, do not answer him by boasting of thyself. If... read more