King James Version

Proverbs 12:8

A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

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Hebrew

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לְֽפִיlefito edgeפֶּהpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “to edge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…שִׂ֭כְלוֹsikhlvodiscretionשֶׂכֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “discretion”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7922intelligence; by implication, successdiscretion, knowledge, policy, prudence, sense, understanding, wisdom, wise.יְהֻלַּלyehulalboastהָלַלverb, pual, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “boast”, an unfinished actionH1984to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool(-ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.אִ֑ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…וְנַעֲוֵהvenaavehand make crookedעָוָהconjunction, verb, niphal, participle, construct — “and make crooked”, a verb used as a describing wordH5753to crook, literally or figurativelydo amiss, bow down, make crooked, commit iniquity, pervert, (do) perverse(-ly), trouble, [idiom] turn, do wickedly, do wrong.לֵ֝֗בlevcomfortablyלֵבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “comfortably”, the ordinary formH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…יִהְיֶ֥הyihyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.לָבֽוּזlavuzto contemptבּוּזpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to contempt”, the ordinary formH937disrespectcontempt(-uously), despised, shamed.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

A man shall be commended according to his intelligence; but he that is of a distorted understanding shall be despised.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

A man shall be commended according to his wisdom; But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

Young’s Literal Translation

According to his wisdom is a man praised, And the perverted of heart becometh despised.

World English Bible

A man shall be commended according to his wisdom, but he who has a warped mind shall be despised.

Darby Translation

A man is commended according to his wisdom; but he that is of a perverted heart shall be despised.

Douay-Rheims

A man shall be known by his learning: but he that is vain and foolish, shall be exposed to contempt.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

A man shall be commended according to his intelligence; but he that is of a distorted understanding shall be despised.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

The mouth of an understanding man is praised by a man; but he that is dull of heart is had in derision.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Στόμα συνετοῦ ἐγκωμιάζεται ὑπὸ ἀνδρὸς, νωθροκάρδιος δὲ μυκτηρίζεται.