He
who corrects a mocker invites insult. He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse. Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Proverbs 9:7-8
Proverbs 9 [5.] “Come, eat some of my bread,
Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!
Leave your simple ways, and live.
Walk in the way of understanding.”
He who corrects a mocker invites insult.
He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.
Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you.
Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser.
Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
Proverbs 9 [10.] The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me your days will be multiplied.
The years of your life will be increased.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself.
If you mock, you alone will bear it.
Meaning:
Proverbs 9 pictures Wisdom as a woman who has built her house, prepared a feast and sent out invitations: “Leave your simple ways, and live.” Before describing the rival invitation of Folly, the chapter pauses to observe how different people respond to correction. These two verses contrast the mocker, who hates rebuke, with the wise person, who welcomes it.
- “He who corrects a mocker invites insult”
In Proverbs the mocker, or scoffer, is not simply someone who lacks knowledge. He is proud, cynical and closed to instruction. He treats wisdom as a joke. Trying to correct such a person usually brings insult and abuse rather than change, because his problem is not ignorance but an unwilling heart.
- “Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you”
This is practical counsel. There are times when further argument is useless and only stirs up hatred. Wisdom includes knowing when to speak and when to be silent. Jesus gave similar advice to his disciples: “Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matthew 7:6).
- “Reprove a wise man, and he will love you”
The wise person responds very differently. Correction may sting, but he recognizes it as a gift. The next verse adds, “Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser” (Proverbs 9:9). Elsewhere Proverbs says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Proverbs 27:6). Openness to correction is one of the clearest marks of wisdom.
- The root of the difference
The chapter goes on to explain the source of true wisdom: “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). A person who reveres God is humble enough to learn, while the scoffer, having no fear of God, will not receive rebuke from anyone.
The Significance of Proverbs 9:7-8
- Examining ourselves
These verses ask us which person we are. Do we resent correction, or do we thank those who help us see our faults? Humility before God makes us teachable before others. A teachable spirit is a sign that wisdom is growing in us, while a defensive and scornful spirit shows that pride is still in control.
- Wisdom in correcting others
The verses also guide how we speak to others. We should not give up on people quickly, for God can soften the hardest heart. Yet when someone repeatedly scorns the truth, it may be wiser to step back, pray and wait for God to open a door.
Cross-References:
Matthew 7:6: "Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs," Jesus’ similar counsel.
Proverbs 9:10: "The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom." The root of teachability.
Proverbs 27:6: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend;" The value of honest correction.
Conclusion: Proverbs 9:7-8 contrasts the scoffer, who answers correction with insults and hatred, with the wise person, who loves the one who corrects him. The difference lies in the heart, shaped by the fear of the Lord. The verses call us to be teachable ourselves and to use wisdom in how and when we correct others.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible