Even if you grind fools in a mortar, even grinding them along with the grain, their folly won’t be driven from them.
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
Even though like grain you should pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with bruised grain, Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
Even if you were to crush the foolish with a mortar, as when a pestle strikes over pearled barley, his foolishness would not be taken from him.