He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
Parallel translations
- WEB One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding holds his peace.
- BSB Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment, but a man of understanding remains silent.
- NKJV He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace.
- NASB One who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a person of understanding keeps silent.
- NLT It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Belittling your neighbor shows a lack of sense, while the discerning person holds his tongue. Wisdom restrains contemptuous speech.
Overview
The proverb contrasts the fool who despises and disparages others with the understanding person who keeps silent rather than tear down. Restraint of speech is a mark of true wisdom. This anticipates the love of neighbor that Christ commands, which refuses contempt and seeks the good of others.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Pet 2:23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
- Prov 10:19In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
- Luke 16:14And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
- Luke 18:9And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
- Prov 14:21He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
- Ps 123:3–4Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
- 1 Sam 10:27But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
- Judg 9:38Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
- John 7:48–52Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
- 2 Kgs 18:36But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
- Neh 4:2–4And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
- Judg 9:27–29And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 11:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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