Proverbs 15

Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

1 A ^agentle answer turns away wrath,
But a ▼

▼Lit painful

, ^charsh word stirs up anger.
2 The ^dtongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant,
But the ^emouth of fools spouts foolishness.
3 The ^feyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
4 A ▼

▼Lit healing

soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it ▼

▼Lit is the crushing of the spirit

crushes the spirit.
5 A fool ▼

▼Or despises

rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who complies with rebuke is sensible.
6 Great wealth is in the house of the ^jrighteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so.
8 The ^ksacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But ^lthe prayer of the upright is His delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves the one who ^mpursues righteousness.
10 There is severe punishment for one who abandons the way;
One who hates a rebuke will die.
11 ▼

▼I.e., The netherworld

, ^oSheol and ▼

▼I.e., place of destruction

Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
How much more the ^qhearts of ▼

▼Lit sons of mankind

mankind!
12 A ^sscoffer does not love one who rebukes him;
He will not go to the wise.
13 A ^tjoyful heart makes a ▼

▼Lit good

cheerful face,
But ▼

▼Lit in sadness of heart

when the heart is ^wsad, the ^xspirit is broken.
14 The ^ymind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
15 All the days of the ▼

▼Or wretched

needy are bad,
But a ▼

▼Lit good

cheerful heart has a continual feast.
16 ^abBetter is a little with ▼

▼Or reverence for

the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure, and turmoil with ▼

▼Lit it

the treasure.
17 ^aeBetter is a portion of ▼

▼Or herbs

vegetables where there is love,
Than a ^agfattened ox served with hatred.
18 A ^ahhot-tempered person stirs up strife,
But the ^aislow to anger ^ajcalms a dispute.
19 The way of the ▼

▼Lit idle

lazy one is like a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
20 A ^alwise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man ^amdespises his mother.
21 Foolishness is joy to one who lacks ▼

▼Lit heart

sense,
But a person of understanding ^aowalks straight.
22 Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they ▼

▼Or are established

succeed.
23 A ^aqperson has joy in an ▼

▼Lit answer of his mouth

apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely ^asword!
24 The ^atpath of life leads upward for the wise,
So that he may keep away from ▼

▼I.e., the netherworld

Sheol below.
25 The Lord will ^avtear down the house of the proud,
But He will ^awset the boundary of the ^axwidow.
26 Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
But pleasant words are pure.
27 He who ^ayprofits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who ^azhates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous ^baponders how to answer,
But the ^bbmouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is ^bcfar from the wicked,
But He ^bdhears the prayer of the righteous.
30 ▼

▼Lit The light of the eyes gladdens

Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news ▼

▼Lit makes fat

refreshes the bones.
31 One whose ear listens to a life-giving rebuke
Will stay among the wise.
32 One who ^bgneglects discipline ^bhrejects himself,
But one who ^bilistens to a rebuke acquires ▼

▼Lit heart

understanding.
33 ▼

▼Or Reverence for

The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.