Like cutting off one’s feet or drinking violence is sending a message by a fool’s hand.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off the feet [of satisfactory delivery] and drinks the damage. [Prov. 13:17.]
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage.
Sending messages with a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking down violence.
Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
He that sendeth words by a foolish messenger, is lame of feet and drinketh iniquity.
Like vinegar to the teeth or smoke to the eyes, so is a slacker to those who send him.
A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.
Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a faithful messenger to those who send him for he refreshes his master’s soul.
Answer a fool according to his folly, else he will be wise in his own eyes.
Like a lame man’s legs that hang limp, so is a proverb in a fool’s mouth.
But the men who had gone up with him said, “We cannot attack these people, because they are stronger than we.”