15 A ^(A)gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a ^[a](B)harsh word stirs up anger.
² The ^(C)tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant,
But the ^(D)mouth of fools spouts foolishness.
³ The ^(E)eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
⁴ A ^[b]soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it ^[c]crushes the spirit.
⁵ A fool ^[d]rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who complies with rebuke is sensible.
⁶ Great wealth is in the house of the ^(F)righteous,
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.

¹⁸ The cast ^(A)lot puts an end to quarrels,
And ^[a]decides between the mighty ones.
¹⁹ A brother who is offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And quarrels are like the bars of a citadel.
²⁰ With the ^[b](B)fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
^(C)He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.
^21 (D)Death and life are in the ^[c]power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its ^(E)fruit.
²² He who finds a ^(F)wife finds a good thing
And ^(G)obtains favor from the Lord.
²³ A ^(H)poor person utters pleadings,
But a ^(I)rich person ^(J)answers defiantly.
²⁴ A person of too many friends comes to ^[d]ruin,
But there is ^(K)a friend who sticks closer than a brother.