17 In view of the expected response for reproof, the text now uses a negated jussive to advise against the attempt. This is paralleled antithetically by the imperative in the second colon. This imperative is in an understood conditional clause: “if you reprove a wise person.”
18 Heb “lest he hate you.” The particle פֶּן (pen, “lest”) expresses fear or precaution (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 79, §476). The antonyms “love” and “hate” suggest that the latter means “reject” and the former means “choosing and embracing.”
19 The noun “instruction” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation.
20 The parallelism shows what Proverbs will repeatedly stress, that the wise person is the righteous person.
21 The Hiphil verb normally means “to cause to know, make known”; but here the context suggests “to teach” (so many English versions).
22 The term “his” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for the sake of smoothness and clarity.

In other versions

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;

reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;

rebuke the wise and they will love you.

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;

teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;

rebuke the wise, and he will love you.

Instruct the wise, and he will be wiser still;

teach the righteous, and he will learn more.

So don’t bother correcting mockers;

they will only hate you.

But correct the wise,

and they will love you.

Instruct the wise,

and they will be even wiser.

Teach the righteous,

and they will learn even more.

Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you;

rebuke the wise and he will love you.

Give to a wise one and he will become more wise;

teach a righteous one and he will increase learning.

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee:

Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser:

Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

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