English Standard Version
Proverbs 9:8
8Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Proverbs 9:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.
Context of Proverbs 9:8
6Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight." 7Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. 9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. 10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Read all of Proverbs 9Proverbs 9:8 word by word
אַל־תּ֣וֹכַח לֵ֭ץ פֶּן־יִשְׂנָאֶ֑ךָּ הוֹכַ֥ח לְ֝חָכָ֗ם וְיֶאֱהָבֶֽךָּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 9:8
- Proverbs 23:9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.
- Proverbs 29:1He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
- Numbers 14:6And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
- 1 Kings 22:8And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."
- Matthew 7:6"Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
- Matthew 15:14Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
- Hebrews 4:6Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,
- Proverbs 13:18Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored.
- Proverbs 28:23Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with his tongue.
- Leviticus 19:17"You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.
- 2 Samuel 12:7Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.
- 1 Kings 1:23And they told the king, "Here is Nathan the prophet." And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground.
- Psalms 141:5Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
- Galatians 2:11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
- 2 Peter 3:15And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
Commentaries on Proverbs 9:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-9Verses 7-9 These verses seem somewhat to interrupt the continuity of the invitation which Wisdom utters. The order of thought is, however, this: “I speak to you, the simple, the open ones, for you have yet ears to hear: but from the scorner or evil doer, as such, I turn away.” The words are illustrated by Matthew 13:11 ff.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-9These verses create a break between the invitations of Wisdom and Folly. The purpose might be to warn the simple (Proverbs 9:4) that inviting mockers and the wicked is often pointless. These people have already chosen their path and respond to Wisdom's advice with violence. In contrast, the wise appreciate and benefit from corrective advice.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-87-8. shame--(Compare Pr 3:35). a blot--or, "stain on character." Both terms denote the evil done by others to one whose faithfulness secures a wise man's love.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 9:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries