Proverbs 15

A soft answer turns away wrath

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.a ²The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness. ³The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.b

⁴Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.c ⁵Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise. ⁶There is treasure in the house of the godly, but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.d

⁷The lips of the wise give good advice; the heart of a fool has none to give. ⁸The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.e ⁹The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue godliness.

¹⁰Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined; whoever hates correction will die.f ¹¹Even Death and Destruction hold no secrets from the Lord. How much more does he know the human heart!g ¹²Mockers hate to be corrected, so they stay away from the wise.

¹³A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.h ¹⁴A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash. ¹⁵For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.i

¹⁶Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.j ¹⁷A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.k ¹⁸A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.l

¹⁹A lazy person’s way is blocked with briers, but the path of the upright is an open highway. ²⁰Sensible children bring joy to their father; foolish children despise their mother. ²¹Foolishness brings joy to those with no sense; a sensible person stays on the right path.

²²Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.m ²³Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!n ²⁴The path of life leads upward for the wise; they leave the grave behind.o

²⁵The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he protects the property of widows. ²⁶The Lord detests evil plans, but he delights in pure words. ²⁷Greed brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live.

²⁸The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.p ²⁹The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.q ³⁰A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.

³¹If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.r ³²If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding. ³³Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.s