Proverbs 9:8

New King James Version

Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation
So don't bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.

Update Bible Version
Don't reprove a scoffer, or else he will hate you: Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

New Century Version
Do not correct those who make fun of wisdom, or they will hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.

New English Translation
Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Reprove not a scorner, lest he shall hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

World English Bible
Don't reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

Amplified Bible
Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you; Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.

English Standard Version
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Nile thou vndirnyme a scornere; lest he hate thee. Vndirnyme thou a wise man; and he schal loue thee.

English Revised Version
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.

Berean Standard Bible
Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

Contemporary English Version
Any bragger you correct will only hate you. But if you correct someone who has common sense, you will be loved.

American Standard Version
Reprove not a scoffer, lest he hate thee: Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.

Bible in Basic English
Do not say sharp words to a man of pride, or he will have hate for you; make them clear to a wise man, and you will be dear to him.

Complete Jewish Bible
If you reprove a scoffer, he will hate you; if you reprove a wise man, he will love you.

Darby Translation
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise [man], and he will love thee.

Easy-to-Read Version
Don't correct such people, or they will hate you. But correct those who are wise, and they will love you.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.

King James Version (1611)
Reproue not a scorner, lest hee hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and hee will loue thee.

New Life Bible
Do not speak strong words to a man who laughs at the truth, or he will hate you. Speak strong words to a wise man, and he will love you.

New Revised Standard
A scoffer who is rebuked will only hate you; the wise, when rebuked, will love you.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Rebuke not a scorner, least he hate thee: but rebuke a wise man, and he will loue thee.

George Lamsa Translation
Reprove not a bad man, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

Good News Translation
Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate thee, Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Rebuke not a scorner, lest he hate thee. Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Revised Standard Version
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Reproue not a scorner, lest he owe thee euyll will: but rebuke a wyse man, and he wyll loue thee.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Christian Standard Bible®
Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;rebuke the wise, and he will love you.

Hebrew Names Version
Don't reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

King James Version
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Lexham English Bible
Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke the wise and he will love you.

Literal Translation
Do not reprove a scorner, that he not hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

Young's Literal Translation
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee, Give reproof to the wise, and he loveth thee.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Reproue not a scorner, lest he owe the euell wil: but rebuke a wyse man, and he wil loue the.

New American Standard Bible
Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you; Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you,Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

Contextual Overview

¹ Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; ² She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. ³ She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city, ⁴ "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, ⁵ "Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. ⁶ Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding. ⁷ "He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. ⁸ Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. ⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. ¹⁰ "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reprove: Proverbs 23:9, Proverbs 29:1, Numbers 14:6-10, 1 Kings 22:8, Matthew 7:6, Matthew 15:14, Hebrews 6:4-8

rebuke: Proverbs 13:18, Proverbs 28:23, Leviticus 19:17, 2 Samuel 12:7-14, 1 Kings 1:23, 1 Kings 1:32, Psalms 141:5, Galatians 2:11-14, 2 Peter 3:15, 2 Peter 3:16

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:9 - Stand Genesis 20:16 - thus 2 Chronicles 18:7 - I hate him 2 Chronicles 25:16 - forbear Proverbs 3:34 - he scorneth Proverbs 12:1 - he that Proverbs 15:12 - scorner Proverbs 15:24 - that Proverbs 15:31 - ear Proverbs 17:10 - General Proverbs 25:12 - a wise Ecclesiastes 7:5 - better Amos 5:10 - hate Mark 8:33 - he rebuked Luke 3:19 - General Luke 9:55 - and rebuked Luke 17:3 - rebuke John 7:7 - because John 7:52 - Art John 9:34 - and dost Acts 7:27 - he that 2 Corinthians 7:7 - when Galatians 4:16 - become Ephesians 5:11 - but 1 John 2:21 - because ye know not

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee,.... For wicked men are apt to hate those that publicly rebuke them, Amos 5:10. Hence minister's of the word are of all men most hated; though this also should be bore with, could it be thought, or there was any reason to believe, that the reproof would be of any service. The scorner here, and in the preceding verses, may not only design profane sinners, sensualists, and atheists, that despise all religion, and scoff at all that is good; but also proud scornful Pharisees, such who derided Christ himself, and trusted in themselves, and despised others, Christ and his apostles, and their ministrations, Luke 16:14; and such, as Christ came not to call them himself, so he bid his disciples let them alone, Matthew 9:13;

rebuke a wise [man], and he will love thee; as David did Nathan; and who was determined to take kindly the reproof of any righteous man,

Psalms 141:5. Such who are spiritually wise will be thankful for the reproof of Gospel ministers, and even of private Christians, and will love and esteem them for their faithfulness and uprightness, and for the good which they themselves receive hereby.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.