New English Translation
Proverbs 9:8
8Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he 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.
Context of Proverbs 9:8
6Abandon your foolish ways so that you may live, and proceed in the way of understanding.” 7Whoever corrects a mocker is asking for insult; whoever reproves a wicked person receives abuse. Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you. 9Give instruction to a wise person, and he will become wiser still; teach a righteous person and he will add to his learning. 10The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.
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 ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
- Proverbs 29:1The one who stiffens his neck after numerous rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.
- Numbers 14:6And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of those who had investigated the land, tore their garments.
- 1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.”
- Matthew 7:6Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.
- Matthew 15:14Leave them! They are blind guides. If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.”
- Hebrews 4:6Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience.
- Proverbs 13:18The one who neglects discipline ends up in poverty and shame, but the one who accepts reproof is honored.
- Proverbs 28:23The one who reproves another will in the end find more favor than the one who flatters with the tongue.
- Leviticus 19:17You must not hate your brother in your heart. You must surely reprove your fellow citizen so that you do not incur sin on account of him.
- 2 Samuel 12:7Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
- 1 Kings 1:23The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor.
- Psalms 141:5May the godly strike me in love and correct me! May my head not refuse choice oil! Indeed, my prayer is a witness against their evil deeds.
- Galatians 2:11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he had clearly done wrong.
- 2 Peter 3:15And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to 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
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Commentaries