Proverbs 9:8

Do not reprove ¹  a mocker or ²  he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you.

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

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

So don’t bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, will love you all the more.

So don't waste your time on a scoffer; all you'll get for your pains is abuse. But if you correct those who care about life, that's different--they'll love you for it!

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.

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

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

Do not reprove ¹  a mocker or ²  he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you.

¹ tn In view of the expected response for reproof, the text now uses a negated jussive to advise against the attempt. This is paralleled antithetically by the imperative in the second colon. This imperative is in an understood conditional clause: “if you reprove a wise person.”

² tn Heb “lest he hate you.” The particle פֶּן (pen, “lest”) expresses fear or precaution (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 79, §476). The antonyms “love” and “hate” suggest that the latter means “reject” and the former means “choosing and embracing.”