Important reminders in engaging others, now that we are so overly connected with one another through communication on the internet, there is plenty of opportunity to engage, and the internet has plenty of fools that we can find ourselves wasting time engaging with.  

Pro 29:9  When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man, The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest. 

Whenever we have a conflict with someone who is a fool, there is no resolution.  We may want a resolution, to make amends or to see the fool apologize if we wronged us, but the fool is incapable of that, because they are a fool!  

Going back to the example of the internet, surely we have all at one time or another found ourselves going down the rabbit hole on the internet arguing back and forth with someone in the comments section, and it is a fruitless endeavor, because the fool is always right in their own minds and refuse sto listen to reason.  

Meanwhile, a righteous or wise person on the other hand, is willing to see the errors of their ways, has a sense of self awareness and is open to making compromises; but this is not the case with the fool, so as the Proverb tells us; there is not rest, the fool either gets mad or laughs, but there is no compromise in the matter, it is a waste of time.  So the way we can avoid controversy with a fool is not to talk with or engage them if we don’t have to.  Another saying, this one is not in the Bible, but certainly accentuates today’s verse is “silence is the best response for a fool”