Proverbs 26:3

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!

American Standard Version (1901)

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools.

Bible in Basic English

A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.

Douay-Rheims 1899

A whip for a horse, and a snaffle for an ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

Free Bible Version

Horses need a whip, donkeys need a bridle, and stupid people need a rod on their backs!

Geneva Bible 1599

Vnto the horse belongeth a whip, to the asse a bridle, and a rod to the fooles backe.

King James (Authorized) Version

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.

One Unity Resource Bible

A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!

Translation for Translators

It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey to force them to go where we want them to go, and similarly [SIM] it is often necessary to strike foolish people with a stick to cause them to do what is right.

Unlocked Literal Bible

A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey and a rod is for the back of fools.

Noah Webster Bible

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.

World English Bible

A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!

Young's Literal Translation

A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.

Context

Similitudes and Instructions

²Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. ³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! ⁴Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.

Summary

This verse uses a vivid illustration of a whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, and a rod for the back of fools to convey the idea that discipline is necessary for those who are foolish and unwise. Just as these tools are essential for guiding animals and correcting their behavior, discipline and correction are crucial for correcting the behavior of fools. The verse emphasizes the importance of addressing foolishness with appropriate measures to bring about change and growth in wisdom.

Commentary

Keil-Delitzsch
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Matthew Henry
Tyndale

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools. J. D. Michaelis supposes that the order should be reversed: a bridle for the horse, a whip for the ass; but Arnoldi has here discovered the figure of speech merismus (cf. Pro 10:1); and Hitzig, in the manner of the division, the rhythmical reason of the combination (cf. שׁם חם ויפת for שׁם יפת וחם): whip and bridle belong to both, for one whips a horse (Neh 3:2) and also bridles him; one bridles an ass (Psa 32:9) and also whips him (Num 22:28.). As whip and bridle are both serviceable and necessary, so also serviceable and necessary is a rod, לגו כּסילים, Pro 10:13; Pro 19:29.