Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him
There are situations in which it is better not to respond to a fool at all, so as not to stoop to his level and resemble him.
("Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes" – Proverbs 26:4, and also: "However, I too did not remain silent. I answered him according to his folly" – Bialik, Notes in Passing, Ref.)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
אַל תַּעַן כְּסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן תִּשְׁוֶה לּוֹ גַם אָתָּה
Definition (Hebrew)
יֶשְׁנָם מַצָּבִים בָּהֶם עָדִיף שֶׁלֹּא לְהִתְיַחֵס כְּלָל לַטִּפֵּשׁ כְּדֵי לֹא לָרֶדֶת לָרָמָה שֶׁלּוֹ וּלְהִדָּמוֹת לוֹ.
("אַל תַּעַן כְּסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן תִּשְׁוֶה לּוֹ גַם אָתָּה.עֲנֵה כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן יִהְיֶה חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו"- מִשְׁלֵי כו ד, וְכֵן:"וְאוּלָם גַּם אֲנִי לֹא קָפַצְתִּי פֶּה.עֲנִיתִיו כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ"-בְּיָאלִיק/ רְשִׁימוֹת כִּלְאַחַר יָד, רפ)