“He who belittles his neighbor lacks sense”: “Belittles” renders a verb used in 6.30 (translated “despise”) to mean to look down upon or consider as worthless. This term can mean to speak with contempt and is used in parallel with “scorn” in Isa 37.22. For “neighbor” see verse 9. “Lacks sense” is literally “lacks heart,” which means it is foolish, stupid, or a bad thing to do.

“But a man of understanding remains silent”: Revised Standard Version uses “man of understanding” in 1.5 and 10.23, referring, as here, to a person of good sense. This contrasts with the person in the first line who “lacks sense”. The book of Proverbs often warns against talking too much. To “remain silent” is to resist the temptation to say things that may be harmful to others.

A typical translation of this verse is “If a person uses bad talk to put down other people, he is stupid. But the person who thinks well keeps his mouth shut and does not use this kind of talk.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .