Fools & Folly
Only God’s word could contain two truths like this that seem to contradict themselves, yet don’t:
"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes."
Proverbs 26:4-5
The ESV Study Bible contains this note:
Prov. 26:4–5 These verses are especially striking in that they appear to contradict each other. 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 4gives the general policy (answer not a fool), because you will end uplike 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 (cf. v. 12).
