One who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a person of understanding keeps silent.
Parallel translations
- WEB One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding holds his peace.
- KJV He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth 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.
- 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 cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously;
- Prov 10:19In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.
- Luke 16:14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.
- Luke 18:9He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.
- Prov 14:21He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who has pity on the poor.
- Ps 123:3–4Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
- 1 Sam 10:27But certain worthless fellows said, “How could this man save us?” They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.
- Judg 9:38Then Zebul said to him, “Now where is your mouth, that you said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Isn’t this the people that you have despised? Please go out now and fight with them.”
- John 7:48–52Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?
- 2 Kgs 18:36But the people stayed quiet, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.”
- Neh 4:2–4He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?”
- Judg 9:27–29They went out into the field, harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes, held festival, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.