Respond to fools in accord with their folly
Prv. 26:4-5
How does one communicate with someone who defies reason, may be a total fool and who refuses to listen to common sense?
It’s a loaded question with problematic terms -- and I’m sure we can all think of a few such people and tragically some, and more of them, in positions of power. It’s also important to remember that in the Tarot tradition - the fool is the card that defies the status quo and offers a new path of liberation. It’s often fools who fall in love.. Although this may not be what Wisdom is talking about here. There are real cases of people who challenge truth and make life difficult for all no matter their intention or intelligence levels.
Proverbs provides precious suggestions for life led with wisdom - fully aware that there are several categories of people who for various reasons either can’t or won’t bother getting any wiser or kinder and who challenge what the general public considers to be common sense and common good.
Today’s chapter is focused on the Kesil - a Hebrew word often translated as ‘fool’, ‘dullard’, ‘dolt’, ‘buffoon’ or ‘idiot’.
Neither are perfect translations, accurate nor kind, but the assumption here is that these kinds of people are not mentally challenged - but rather suffer from a stubborn attitude that defies reason and makes life difficult for everybody else. The Kesil is not a simpleton -- but specifically defined as one countering the ways of wisdom. Among the many descriptions of what a Kesil is in today’s chapter is this vivid depiction:
ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃
As a thorn is held by hand of a drunkard,
So a proverb to the mouth of a dullard.
Prv. 26:5
In other words - like someone intoxicated - this category of foolish person can simply not be reasoned with or fully trusted.
Oddly, the advice offered here is contradictory, confusing and has puzzled generations of readers as it confounds many of us and many in the media right now. The use of the term ‘fool’ here is a placeholder for what may be a more suitable term that you may hold on to or suggest --
אַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּ֥וֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃ עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
Do not answer fools in accord with their folly,
Else you will become like them.
Answer fools in accord with their folly,
Else they will think themselves wise.
Prv. 26:4-5
Does Wisdom suggest that we put the fools in their place with a smart response - or avoid them so as not to descend to their level? How come these two consecutive verses contain complete contradictory messages? What's a wise strategy?
Robert Alter points out the pieces of this puzzle but doesn’t resolve it:
“Ingenious exegetical effort has been exercised to set these two contradictory proverbs in a dialectic or complementary relationship with each other. It is more plausible to assume that they were bracketed together editorially because of the similarity of formulation while they reflect two quite different and originally independent perspectives. The first proverb counsels us to avoid contention with a fool because we are liable to get entangled in his own misguided or confused terms. The second proverb urges us to answer the fool so that he is compelled to recognize what a fool he is. “
Other scholars suggest some ways to reconcile the two competing strategies.
The rabbis in the Talmud suggest that the two verses refer to two different scenarios - the first verse is about general matters of little consequence and therefore it’s ok to let the fools babble on all they want, and look away.
But the second verse refers to more consequential matters of Jewish law of discussion of Torah - in this case - one can not let the fools have the last word and they must be corrected.
The other solution suggested by scholars is that it’s all about the context -- if there’s a chance that the fool will listen - it’s worth a shot. But if not - don’t bother. The inclusion of these contradictions is proof of this text’s enduring wisdom -- showing us that there is always more than one way to handle challenging situations, and that context does matter especially in the dialectical difficulties of dialogue with people who challenge our assumptions of what’s wrong or right.
So how will we best handle the fools in our lives? With patience, kindness, and wisdom. Context matters. Not every discussion deserves to happen.
Maybe we can start by going to a Tarot reader.. Or by practicing in front of the mirror, with a bit of modesty and humility and the knowledge that we humans contain multitudes, and can move from righteous to ridiculous within the span of a seconds?
We meet each other in life’s messy middle, fools and saints alike, and even when there’s discord - hopefully there is some room for empathy, respect and trust.
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