It is written in Proverbs 26:4-5 (NIV):
"Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes."
This seems to be a contradiction. Should you answer a fool or not?
The following explanation shows how the contradiction disappears.
A lot of the language in The Bible and The Quran is layered in meaning. In this particular case, one of the meanings of the verses is:
The fool is the quality of selfishness and his folly is the error of thinking that selfishness is better than bestowal.
In the first part it's saying: do not answer the quality of selfishness according to his folly - the error that selfishness is better than bestowal - or you'll be just like him, immersed in the quality of selfishness. This first part is basically saying do not be in the quality of selfishness.
In the second part it's saying: answer the quality of selfishness according to his folly - by pointing out his error that selfishness is not better than bestowal but that bestowal is better than selfishness - or else the quality of selfishness will think it's wise, when in fact it's the quality of bestowal that's wise. This second part is basically saying be in the quality of bestowal.
There is no contradiction, both statements complement one another.
Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.
