Proverbs 9:12 kjv

If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

Proverbs 9:12 nkjv

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone."

Proverbs 9:12 niv

If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Proverbs 9:12 esv

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

Proverbs 9:12 nlt

If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.

Proverbs 9 verses

Proverbs 9 12 Meaning

Proverbs 9:12 states a fundamental principle of divine justice and personal responsibility: the benefits of wisdom are solely for the individual who chooses it, ensuring their own well-being and prosperity. Conversely, the burden and consequences of scorning instruction and truth fall exclusively upon the scoffer, with no one else able to bear their penalty.

Proverbs 9 12 Context

Proverbs chapter 9 vividly portrays a contrast between two inviting figures: Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly. Lady Wisdom, a personification of divine understanding and righteousness, extends an open invitation to all, especially the simple and the youth, offering the bread of life and wine she has prepared, promising understanding, and length of days (Prov 9:1-6). Verses 7-9 provide practical advice on responding to correction, distinguishing between scoffers (who resist) and the wise (who embrace it). Verse 10 grounds true wisdom in the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of the Holy One. Verse 11 reiterates the life-giving nature of wisdom. Immediately following this, Proverbs 9:12 serves as a conclusive summary statement on personal accountability regarding these choices. It stands as Lady Wisdom's final, forceful declaration of individual consequence, just before Lady Folly issues her own deceptive and destructive call (Prov 9:13-18). The verse highlights that the benefits or burdens of one's fundamental life choices—either pursuing wisdom or rejecting it through scorn—are utterly personal and cannot be transferred or shared.

Proverbs 9 12 Word analysis

• "If thou art wise" (אִם־חָכַמְתָּ - ’im-ḥāḵamətā):
  • אִם (’im): "if," introducing a conditional statement, suggesting a choice.
  • חָכַמְתָּ (ḥāḵamətā): Hebrew verb from חָכַם (ḥāḵam), "to be wise." The perfect tense here implies a completed state or an established fact of one's character, "if you have indeed become wise" or "if wisdom characterizes you." It emphasizes a decision or disposition.
• "thou shalt be wise for thyself" (חָכַ֣מְתָּ לָּ֑ךְ - ḥāḵamətā lāḵ):
  • The repetition of חָכַמְתָּ stresses the direct, inherent outcome.
  • לָּךְ (lāḵ): "for yourself," "to yourself," or "unto yourself." This dative pronoun is crucial. It means wisdom's benefit is entirely internal and personal. It doesn't mean wisdom is selfish, but that its primary reward and flourishing is experienced by the individual. It suggests deep personal benefit and well-being.
• "but if thou scornest" (וְלַ֗צְתָּ - wəlaṣtā):
  • וְ (wə): "and" or "but," indicating a contrasting alternative.
  • לַ֗צְתָּ (laṣtā): From לִיץ (lîts), "to scoff," "to mock," "to scorn." This is not mere foolishness or ignorance, but an active, defiant, and insolent rejection of truth, correction, and wisdom. The scoffer often belittles the righteous and mocks divine principles, reflecting a hardened heart that resists improvement.
• "thou alone shalt bear it" (לְֽבַדְּךָ֥ תִשָּֽׂא׃ - ləvaḍdəḵā tiśśā’):
  • לְבַדְּךָ (ləvaḍdəḵā): "by yourself," "alone," "only you." This emphasizes the isolation of the consequence. No one can intercede or share this burden.
  • תִשָּׂא (tiśśā’): From נָשָׂא (nāśā’), "to lift," "to carry," "to bear," "to endure." In this context, it implies bearing the burden of guilt, consequences, or punishment for one's actions. The scoffer must personally carry the weight of their deliberate rejection of wisdom, experiencing its negative ramifications alone.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself": This phrase emphasizes that wisdom is its own reward, intrinsically beneficial to the one possessing it. It means wisdom contributes directly to one's own success, peace, well-being, and life satisfaction, both in this world and eternally. There is no external validation needed; the value is internal.
• "but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it": This powerful antithesis highlights the ultimate loneliness and unavoidable consequence of actively rejecting wisdom and moral truth. Scoffing is a defiant choice, and its negative effects—whether spiritual barrenness, relational breakdown, or divine judgment—will be personally and individually experienced, without any possibility of shared burden or relief from others.

Proverbs 9 12 Bonus section

This verse encapsulates a crucial aspect of biblical wisdom literature: the inherent linkage between choices and their outcomes. It debunks the notion that one can avoid the natural (and supernatural) consequences of their actions, especially concerning God's moral order. The focus on "thyself" and "thou alone" accentuates a deep truth about human existence—ultimately, each individual stands before God accountable for their own heart and actions. While community and sin's broader impacts are acknowledged elsewhere, this proverb zooms in on the non-transferable nature of spiritual prosperity and penalty. This sets the stage for the New Testament's understanding of Christ, the only one who could "bear" the sin of others, thereby addressing the profound truth of humanity's inability to "bear" their own sin adequately and eternally.

Proverbs 9 12 Commentary

Proverbs 9:12 distills a profound truth about human volition and divine justice. It unequivocally states that the fundamental choices individuals make concerning wisdom and folly carry direct and exclusive consequences for themselves. Choosing wisdom (which Proverbs establishes begins with the fear of the Lord) yields personal benefits—a flourishing life, genuine understanding, and well-being. This wisdom is not for external show or the approval of others, but its very nature results in internal growth and lasting gain for the wise person. Conversely, a hardened heart that chooses to scorn and mock righteous instruction and divine truth will inescapably bear the full weight of those decisions alone. The term "scoffer" denotes someone beyond simple ignorance; they are defiant and contemptuous of truth, and for such an active rebellion, there is no shared accountability. This principle establishes the bedrock of individual responsibility before God, asserting that one cannot escape the ramifications of deliberate moral choices, nor can anyone else atone for or lighten the burden of another's personal contempt for wisdom, apart from the unique grace of God in Christ Jesus for those who repent and believe. It underlines God's righteous order where integrity and accountability are paramount.