Proverbs 11:12

12 He who lacks {sense} belittles his neighbor, but a person of intelligence will remain silent.

Proverbs 11:12 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 11:12

He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour
Not only in his heart, but by giving him opprobrious language; he speaks contemptibly of him, either because he thinks he is wiser than his neighbour, and therefore calls him fool at every turn; as those who are most destitute of wisdom conceit they have the largest share of it, and despise others; or else because he is richer than his neighbour, as the poor is generally despised by the rich; or because he fancies he is holier than he, as the Pharisee who trusts in himself that he is righteous, and despises others: or a man "that wants a heart" F11, as it may be rendered; that wants a good one, or wants grace in his heart; he despises the counsel and advice, the admonitions and instructions, which his neighbour gives him for his good; but a man of understanding holdeth his peace:
and will not despise his neighbour, or give him ill language, because he is not so wise, or so rich, or so righteous as he; if he cannot speak any good of him, he will not speak evil of him; or he holds his peace, is silent, and will not answer the man void of wisdom, that despises and reproaches him; he will not render railing for railing; when he is reviled he will revile not again; and by so doing he shows himself to he a man understanding, or of intellects; a wise and prudent.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (bl rox) "carens corde", Montanus, Mercerus, Gejerus; "destitutus est corde", Schultens.

Proverbs 11:12 In-Context

10 When good [is with] the righteous, [the] city rejoices, and with the perishing of the wicked, jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright, a city will be exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked, it will be overthrown.
12 He who lacks {sense} belittles his neighbor, but a person of intelligence will remain silent.
13 A gossip walks [about] telling a secret, but the trustworthy in spirit keeps [the] matter.
14 Where there is no guidance, a nation shall fall, but [there is] safety in an abundance of counsel.

Footnotes 1

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.