Proverbs 26:6 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He that sendeth a message— Schultens renders this, He that cutteth off the feet, he that drinketh down bitterness, he that sendeth commands by the hand of a fool, are equal: That is, there is the same simplicity in the one as in the other of these actions: The two former expressions are intended to exaggerate the latter; and the meaning of the proverb is, "He that employs a fool to execute his commands, does himself the greater injury, and will bring upon himself the greatest uneasiness." The Syriac reads, He drinketh iniquity from under his feet, who sendeth a message by a fool. The proverbial turn of the expression renders it extremely difficult to be understood.