Passage
A scoffer does not love one who reproves him, He will not go to the wise.
Proverbs 15:12 (LSB)
Nearby Context
Proverbs 15:10 Grievous discipline is for him who forsakes the way; He who hates reproof will die.
Proverbs 15:11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before Yahweh, How much more the hearts of the sons of men!
Proverbs 15:12 A scoffer does not love one who reproves him, He will not go to the wise.
Proverbs 15:13 A glad heart makes a face look good, But when the heart is pained, the spirit is broken.
Proverbs 15:14 The heart of the one who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "scoffer", "does", "love", "reproves", and "wise". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "scoffer" and "does", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 11's "Sheol and Abaddon lie open before Yahweh..." into verse 13's "A glad heart makes a face look...", so "scoffer" and "does" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "scoffer" and "does" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.