What Does Proverbs 26:9 Mean in the King James?
As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
A proverb does not become wise merely because a fool can quote it; wisdom in an unsteady mouth can wound.
THE MEANING
When a proverb is in a fool’s mouth, its wisdom does not make its use harmless. Like a thorn in a drunkard’s hand, it can wound through impaired handling; the verse names the danger of truth carried without discernment.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie this undoes is that a true saying is automatically safe or helpful whoever speaks it; the speaker’s condition and judgment shape what the saying does.
THE ROOT
שִׁכּוֹר
shikkor
GROWS FROM
שכר
To become drunk; to be intoxicated.
“drunkard” in this verse is shikkor. The same root names the intoxicating drink and the state it produces. That deepens the image: the hand holding the thorn is impaired, just as the fool’s mouth cannot handle the proverb safely.
ALSO GROWS
shakar: To become intoxicated.
שָׁכַר
The verb names the impairment behind the drunkard in the verse.
shekar: An intoxicating drink.
שֵׁכָר
The root names not only the impaired person but also what brings about that condition.
shikkaron: Intoxication; the state of being drunk.
שִׁכָּרוֹן
This branch makes the shared idea explicit: the proverb’s image turns on impaired judgment and handling.
THE PATTERN
Words carried without discernment can become instruments of harm.
The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.THE THREAD
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.The same root, שכר (sh-k-r), appears in “drunkard” here and “strong drink” in Isaiah. Isaiah shows intoxication distorting vision and judgment; Proverbs places that impairment in the hand holding a thorn and in the fool’s mouth carrying a proverb.
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