Letter 139

To the same person. "Do not answer a fool according to his folly," says Solomon, "lest you become like him; but answer a fool with regard to his folly, lest he appear wise in his own eyes." [Proverbs 26:4-5] For the man who, when a fool speaks things contrary to the laws of God and summons him to sin, gives his assent and agrees, has answered according to the folly of the fool, and has been made like him. But the man who sets himself against the one who proposes base things, and does not endure to keep company with the foul-mouthed, is said to answer with regard to his folly—that is, against his folly he has been shown to be the best of victors, a bearer of the trophy, having employed the counsel of truth and of heavenly wisdom against the folly and the vain conceit of the wicked sophist.

Μὴ ἀποκρίνου, φησὶ Σολομῶν, τῷ ἄφρονι κατὰ τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ὅμοιος γένῃ αὐτῷ· ἀποκρίνου δὲ τῷ ἄφρονι πρὸς τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ φρόνιμος παρ' ἑαυτῷ φαίνηται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ λαλοῦντι τῷ ἄφρονι τὰ ἐναντιούμενα τοῖς νόμοις τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ προσκαλουμένῳ εἰς ἁμαρτίαν συγκατατιθέμενος, καὶ συναινῶν, ἀπεκρίθη κατὰ τὴν ἀφροσύνην τοῦ ἄφρονος, καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτῷ· ὁ δ' ἀντιταξάμενος τῷ φράζοντι τὰ φαῦλα, καὶ μὴ ἀνασχόμενος συνδιάσαι τῷ μιαροῤῥήμονι, ἀποκρίνεσθαι λέγεται πρὸς τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ, τουτέστι κατὰ τῆς ἀφροσύνης αὐτοῦ ἀπεδείχθη ἄριστος νικητὴς τροπαιούχος, τῇ βεβούλῃ τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ τῆς ἐπουρανίου σοφίας χρησάμενος κατὰ τῆς ἀφροσύνης, καὶ τῆς ματλίας οἰήσεως τοῦ, πονηροῦ σοφιστοῦ.