Proverbs 15

¹ By a soft answer wrath is turned away, but a bitter word is a cause of angry feelings.

² Knowledge is dropping from the tongue of the wise; but from the mouth of the foolish comes a stream of foolish words.

³ The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

⁴ A comforting tongue is a tree of life, but a twisted tongue is a crushing of the spirit.

⁵ A foolish man puts no value on his father’s training; but he who has respect for teaching has good sense.

⁶ In the house of the upright man there is a great store of wealth; but in the profits of the sinner there is trouble.

⁷ The lips of the wise keep knowledge, but the heart of the foolish man is not right.

⁸ The offering of the evil-doer is disgusting to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright man is his delight.

⁹ The way of the evil-doer is disgusting to the Lord, but he who goes after righteousness is dear to him.

¹⁰ There is bitter punishment for him who is turned from the way; and death will be the fate of the hater of teaching.

¹¹ Before the Lord are the underworld and destruction: how much more, then, the hearts of the children of men!

¹² The hater of authority has no love for teaching: he will not go to the wise.

¹³ A glad heart makes a shining face, but by the sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

¹⁴ The heart of the man of good sense goes in search of knowledge, but foolish things are the food of the unwise.

¹⁵ All the days of the troubled are evil; but he whose heart is glad has an unending feast.

¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great wealth together with trouble.

¹⁷ Better is a simple meal where love is, than a fat ox and hate with it.

¹⁸ An angry man makes men come to blows, but he who is slow to get angry puts an end to fighting.

¹⁹ Thorns are round the way of the hater of work; but the road of the hard worker becomes a highway.

²⁰ A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man has no respect for his mother.

²¹ Foolish behaviour is joy to the unwise; but a man of good sense makes his way straight.

²² Where there are no wise suggestions, purposes come to nothing; but by a number of wise guides they are made certain.

²³ A man has joy in the answer of his mouth: and a word at the right time, how good it is!

²⁴ Acting wisely is the way of life, guiding a man away from the underworld.

²⁵ The house of the man of pride will be uprooted by the Lord, but he will make safe the heritage of the widow.

²⁶ Evil designs are disgusting to the Lord, but the words of the clean-hearted are pleasing.

²⁷ He whose desires are fixed on profit is a cause of trouble to his family; but he who has no desire for offerings will have life.

²⁸ The heart of the upright gives thought to his answer; but from the mouth of the evil-doer comes a stream of evil things.

²⁹ The Lord is far from sinners, but his ear is open to the prayer of the upright.

³⁰ The light of the eyes is a joy to the heart, and good news makes the bones fat.

³¹ The man whose ear is open to the teaching of life will have his place among the wise.

³² He who will not be controlled by training has no respect for his soul, but he who gives ear to teaching will get wisdom.

³³ The fear of the Lord is the teaching of wisdom; and a low opinion of oneself goes before honour.