This saying expresses the futility of trying to remove folly from a fool.

“Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain”: In Hebrew this line is expressed as a conditional clause, “If you crush a fool. . .” or “Though you may crush a fool. . ..” As used here a “mortar” is a strong container, often made by hollowing out a log, in which grains such as rice or corn are pounded with a stick called a “pestle”. This process also separates inedible husks from the grain. Some interpreters consider the first line too long and suggest that “along with crushed grain” has been added later. However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates this phrase as “B” and recommends translating “If you crush a fool in a mortar along with the grain with a pestle. . ..” If “mortar” and “pestle” are unknown, translators may consider saying something like “Even if you crush [or, grind] a fool in the same way as you crush grain. . ..”

“Yet his folly will not depart from him”: This line states the negative consequence, which we may translate, for example, “his foolishness will not leave him” or “you will not be able to get rid of his foolishness.”

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 .