Proverbs 26 · a question people ask
"Am I not joking?" (26:19). Is the chapter against joking?
The saying is about deceiving. It sets a madman shooting "torches, arrows, and death" (26:18) beside "the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”" (26:19). "Am I not joking?" is what the deceiver says; the deceiving comes first. Joking is sachaq, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "laugh". Proverbs has the same verb of Wisdom, "always rejoicing before him" (Proverbs 8:30), and of the worthy woman: "She laughs at the time to come" (Proverbs 31:25). The notes on Proverbs 1 look at the verb. What 26:18-19 speaks against is the man who deceives his neighbor and then calls it a joke.
The verses
“Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death, is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?””
“then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,”
“Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.”
“I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,”