Cheryl

Tiro3,
The Hebrew for Prov. 26 is here http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/pro26.pdf

You will notice two things about the differences between verses 4 & 5. The first thing is that verse 5 is in the emphatic. This is shown by the notation “!” as “answer-you !” so it literally means to make sure you do this which is to “answer”. Secondly you will notice that in verse 4 it says you-shall-be-equal to-him. This is the reason not to answer a fool.

This is where the wisdom comes because we need to determine whether to answer the fool or not. If we answer a fool in his wisdom or rather his folly, we become equal to him and we are told not to do that. However verse 5 tells us emphatically that we are to answer him. The second type of answer is not the one that is equal to the fool’s own folly (verse 4) but it is a real answer, one that will put him in his place and not allow him to think that his stupidity is truth.

Is this helping to make sense using the direct English translation of the Hebrew?