Bible Strands
Proverbs 11:12
Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment, but a man of understanding remains silent.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The wisdom tradition addresses a general audience, positioning the instruction between observations about speech building or destroying communities and the contrast between gossip and trustworthiness.
The words — בָּז־ (boz-) translates as [one who] despises, and יַחֲרִישׁ (ya.cha.Rish) means he keeps quiet.
The thread — The restraint of speech appears in Proverbs 10:19, where silencing lips is linked to wisdom, and in 1 Peter 2:23, which records Christ withholding retaliation when abused. Luke 16:14 shows the Pharisees scoffing, illustrating the contempt the verse warns against.
Why it lands — The text states that despising a neighbor demonstrates a lack of judgment, while understanding requires silence. It demands that the reader evaluate whether their speech builds or destroys and choose restraint over contempt.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- 1 Peter 2:23 When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
- Luke 16:14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.
- Luke 18:9 To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:
- Psalms 123:3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy, for we have endured much contempt.
- Proverbs 14:21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.
- Judges 9:27 And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.
- Judges 9:38 “Where is your gloating now?” Zebul replied. “You said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the people you ridiculed? Go out now and fight them!”
- 1 Samuel 10:27 But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.
- 2 Kings 18:36 But the people remained silent and did not answer a word, for Hezekiah had commanded, “Do not answer him.”