This saying continues the theme of things that are not fitting or not appropriate. It is linked in thought to verse 9. A proverb in the mouth of a fool is inappropriate.

“Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless”: The text of “a lame man” is rated as “A” by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. The word that Revised Standard Version renders “hang useless” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version “hang limp”) is rated as “C” and may mean “to be weak” or “to dangle.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project’s recommended translations for this line are “as the legs of a cripple are too weak to use” or “as the legs dangle from a cripple.”

“Is a proverb in the mouth of fools”: The sense here is that a proverb or saying spoken by a fool is as useless as the crippled person’s legs. In other words a proverb spoken by a fool has no effect; it can accomplish nothing. Good News Translation makes the comparison effective with “. . . can use . . . about as well. . ..” Revised English Bible says “A proverb in the mouth of fools dangles helpless as the legs of the lame.” Another way of expressing the saying is “If a fool tries to speak a good-sounding talk, he can’t, just as a man with a crippled leg can’t walk.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .