hate

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “hate” or a form thereof is translated in Tabasco Chontal as “don’t want to see [the person who is hated].” (Source: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.)

See also hate.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 9:8

“Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you”: “Reprove” translates the same word as used in line 2 of verse 7. “Scoffer” is as in verse 7. “Hate” is as in 1.22, where the fool is a person who hates knowledge.

“Reprove a wise man, and he will love you”: This line is the first of three very similar lines, which contrast with the three previous lines. “Reprove” repeats the word from the previous line. “Wise man” translates a masculine singular noun but is best understood in a general sense and not as referring exclusively to a male adult. New Revised Standard Version says “the wise.” See Good News Translation. Contemporary English Version translates “if you correct someone who has common sense. . ..” “Love you” is the literal rendering of the Hebrew, but this may not be adequate in other languages. Some other renderings are Good News Translation “respect you,” New English Bible/Revised English Bible “will be your friend,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “you will win his appreciation.”

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 .

complete verse (Proverbs 9:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 9:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “Do not counsel a person who mocks people because he will hate you. But if you counsel a wise person, he will love you.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Do not try to correct arrogant people,
    they will only hate you.
    But if [you] try to correct a wise person,
    he will respect you.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Do not rebuke a man who mocks for he will-hate you (sing.). Rebuke a wise man for he will-love you (sing.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore do not be-advising a person who is a mocker, because he will hate you (sing.). But if you (sing.) are-advising a wise-person, he will love you (sing.).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 9:8

9:8

This verse contains parallel parts that contrast in meaning. The situation in the second line contrasts strongly with the first line.

8a
Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you ;

8b
rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

9:8a

Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you: The second clause he will hate you gives the motivation for obeying the advice Do not rebuke a mocker. If a person disobeys that advice, the result is that the mocker will hate him. This relationship may be expressed in various ways. For example:

Do not rebuke a mocker lest he hate you
-or-
If you rebuke a mocker, he will hate you
-or-
A scoffer who is rebuked will only hate you (New Revised Standard Version)

rebuke a mocker: See the notes on 9:7a–b.

hate: The word hate implies rejection as well as strong dislike. See the notes on 1:22b and 8:36b.

9:8b

rebuke a wise man: This line contrasts with the first line, so in some languages, it may be more natural to introduce the line with “However” or “By contrast.”

and he will love you: In Hebrew, the word love can refer to many types of love, including the LORD’s love for people and various kinds of human love. If your language has more than one word for love, choose a word that would be used for the love that a wise person would feel toward someone whose rebuke he appreciated. If there is no appropriate word for this kind of love, you may be able to use an expression like the Revised English Bible:

and he will be your friend (Revised English Bible)

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