LISTEN
NASB:
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, reprove a wise man and he will love you.
NIV:
Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
Observations:
This piece of Proverbial wisdom provides a contrast between the wise and the unwise.
Clearly, the unwise person is a mocker or scoffer who cannot be rebuked. If a mocker is rebuked, he will end up hating the person rebuking him.
On the other hand, a wise person can be rebuked. If a wise man is rebuked, he will end up loving the person who rebuked him.
Takeaways:
When you encounter a scoffer or a mocker in life, do not waste time and energy trying to rebuke him. If you do, it will only result in enmity and hate from him to you.
If you have occasion to rebuke a wise person, do not hesitate. Doing so will result in that person loving you.
