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 his father’s instruction,

but he 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 him who pursues righteousness.

¹⁰There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;

he who hates reproof will die.

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord

how much more the hearts of men!

¹²A scoffer does not like to be reproved;

he 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 him who has understanding seeks knowledge,

but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are evil,

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 herbs where love is

than a fatted ox and hatred with it.

¹⁸A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

¹⁹The way of a sluggard is overgrown with thorns,

but the path of the upright is a level highway.

²⁰A wise son makes a glad father,

but a foolish man despises his mother.

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

but a man of understanding walks aright.

²²Without counsel plans go wrong,

but with many advisers they succeed.

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

and a word in season, how good it is!

²⁴The wise man’s path leads upward to life,

that he may avoid Sheol beneath.

²⁵The Lord tears down the house of the proud,

but maintains the widow’s boundaries.

²⁶The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,

the words of the pure are pleasing to him.

²⁷He who is greedy for unjust gain makes trouble for his household,

but he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

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 bones.

³¹He whose ear heeds wholesome admonition

will abide among the wise.

³²He who ignores instruction despises himself,

but he who heeds admonition gains understanding.

³³The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,

and humility goes before honor.