Proverbs 15

¹A soft answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

²The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge,

but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

³The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

keeping watch on the evil and the good.

⁴A gentle tongue is a tree of life,

but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

⁵A fool despises a parent’s instruction,

but the one who heeds admonition is prudent.

⁶In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,

but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

⁷The lips of the wise spread knowledge;

not so the minds of fools.

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁹The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.

¹⁰There is severe discipline for one who forsakes the way,

but one who hates a rebuke will die.

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord,

how much more human hearts!

¹²Scoffers do not like to be rebuked;

they will not go to the wise.

¹³A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance,

but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.

¹⁴The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,

but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

¹⁵All the days of the poor are hard,

but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

¹⁶Better is a little with the fear of the Lord

than great treasure and trouble with it.

¹⁷Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is

than a fatted ox and hatred with it.

¹⁸Those who are hot-tempered stir up strife,

but those who are slow to anger calm contention.

¹⁹The way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,

but the path of the upright is a level highway.

²⁰A wise child makes a glad father,

but the foolish despise their mothers.

²¹Folly is a joy to one who has no sense,

but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.

²²Without counsel, plans go wrong,

but with many advisers they succeed.

²³To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone,

and a word in season, how good it is!

²⁴For the wise the path of life leads upward,

in order to avoid Sheol below.

²⁵The Lord tears down the house of the proud,

but maintains the widow’s boundaries.

²⁶Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,

but gracious words are pure.

²⁷Those who are greedy for unjust gain make trouble for their households,

but those who hate bribes will live.

²⁸The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.

²⁹The Lord is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

and good news refreshes the body.

³¹The ear that heeds wholesome admonition

will lodge among the wise.

³²Those who ignore instruction despise themselves,

but those who heed admonition gain understanding.

³³The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,

and humility goes before honor.