Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Proverbs 9:8

This verse dovetails nicely with the previous verse but also complements the verse before that. Knowing what to say and when to say it can often be as wise as the comment you could make in the first place. Think about it. If you spout off to “a mocker,” you’ll get nowhere. If however, you are able to give constructive criticism to a wise man, he will love you for your honesty.

And lest we forget, there is wisdom in deliberate silence.