New Living Translation
Proverbs 11:12
12It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.
Proverbs 11:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
- New International Version (NIV)Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace.
Context of Proverbs 11:12
10The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die. 11Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart. It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet. 13A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. 14Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.
Read all of Proverbs 11Proverbs 11:12 word by word
בָּז־לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ חֲסַר־לֵ֑ב וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנ֣וֹת יַחֲרִֽישׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 11:12
- Judges 9:27During the annual harvest festival at Shechem, held in the temple of the local god, the wine flowed freely, and everyone began cursing Abimelech.
- Nehemiah 4:2saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”
- Psalms 123:3Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt.
- Luke 16:14The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him.
- Luke 18:9Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:
- John 7:48“Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him?
- Proverbs 10:19Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.
- 1 Samuel 10:27But there were some scoundrels who complained, “How can this man save us?” And they scorned him and refused to bring him gifts. But Saul ignored them. [Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had been grievously oppressing the people of Gad and Reuben who lived east of the Jordan River. He gouged out the right eye of each of the Israelites living there, and he didn’t allow anyone to come and rescue them. In fact, of all the Israelites east of the Jordan, there wasn’t a single one whose right eye Nahash had not gouged out. But there were 7,000 men who had escaped from the Ammonites, and they had settled in Jabesh-gilead.]
- 2 Kings 18:36But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, “Do not answer him.”
- 1 Peter 2:23He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.
Commentaries on Proverbs 11:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12He that is void of wisdom - A foolish man is generally abundant in his censures; he dwells on the defects of his neighbor, and is sure to bring them into the most prominent view. But a man of understanding - a prudent, sensible man, hides those defects wherever he can, and puts the most charitable construction on those which he cannot conceal.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12None but the man “void of wisdom” will show contempt for those about him. The wise man, if he cannot admire or praise, will at least know how to be silent.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12Verse 12 A man of understanding does not judge of others by their success.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. despiseth--or, "reviles," a course contrasted with the prudent silence of the wise. holdeth his peace--as if neither hearing nor telling.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 11:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 11
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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