Proverbs 15

¹A gentle answer deflects anger,

but harsh words make tempers flare.

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.

⁴Gentle words are a tree of life;

a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

⁵Only a fool despises a parent’s^a discipline;

whoever learns from correction is wise.

⁶There is treasure in the house of the godly,

but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.

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.

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.

¹¹Even Death and Destruction^b hold no secrets from the Lord.

How much more does he know the human heart!

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.

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.

¹⁶Better to have little, with fear for the Lord,

than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.

¹⁷A bowl of vegetables with someone you love

is better than steak with someone you hate.

¹⁸A hot-tempered person starts fights;

a cool-tempered person stops them.

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.

²³Everyone enjoys a fitting reply;

it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!

²⁴The path of life leads upward for the wise;

they leave the grave^c behind.

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.

²⁹The Lord is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayers of the righteous.

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.

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.