Proverbs 15
Modern English Version
15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
but grievous words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright,
but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it crushes the spirit.
5 A fool despises his father’s instruction,
but he who regards reproof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure,
but in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.
7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge,
but the heart of the foolish does not do so.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord,
but He loves him who follows after righteousness.
10 Correction is grievous to him who forsakes the way,
and he who hates reproof will die.
11 Death and destruction are before the Lord;
so how much more the hearts of the children of men.
12 A scorner does not love one who reproves him,
nor will he go to the wise.
13 A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure with trouble.
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fatted calf with hatred.
18 A wrathful man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger appeases strife.
19 The way of the slothful man is as a hedge of thorns,
but the way of the righteous is made plain.
20 A wise son makes a father glad,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 Folly is joy to him who is destitute of wisdom,
but a man of understanding walks uprightly.
22 Without counsel, purposes are disappointed,
but in the multitude of counselors they are established.
23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
24 The way of life leads above for the wise,
that he may depart from Sheol below.
25 The Lord will destroy the house of the proud,
but He will establish the border of the widow.
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
27 He who is greedy of gain troubles his own house,
but he who hates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous studies to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and a good report makes the bones healthy.
31 The ear that hears the reproof of life
abides among the wise.
32 He who refuses instruction despises his own soul,
but he who hears reproof gains understanding.
33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,
and before honor is humility.
Proverbs 15
Lexham English Bible
15 A soft answer will turn away wrath,
but a word of trouble will stir anger.[a]
2 The tongue of the wise will dispense knowledge,
but the mouth of fools will pour out folly.
3 In every place, the eyes of Yahweh
keep watch over the evil and the good.
4 Gentleness[b] of tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it[c] causes a break in spirit.
5 A fool will despise the instruction of his father,
but he who guards reproof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but the income of the wicked brings trouble.
7 The lips of the wise will spread knowledge,
but the heart[d] of fools, not so.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination of Yahweh,
but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
9 An abomination of Yahweh is the way of the wicked,
but he who pursues righteousness he will love.
10 Severe discipline belongs to him who forsakes the way;
he who hates a rebuke will die.
11 Sheol[e] and Abaddon[f] are before Yahweh,
how much more[g] the hearts of the children of men!
12 A scoffer does not like his rebuke;[h]
to the wise he will not go.
13 A heart[i] of gladness will make good countenance,[j]
but in sorrow of heart[k] a spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him who understands will seek knowledge,
but the faces of fools, they[l] will feed on folly.
15 All the days of the poor are hard,
but goodness of heart[m] is a continuous feast.
16 Better is little with the fear of Yahweh
than great treasure and trouble with it.[n]
17 Better is a dinner of vegetables when[o] love is there
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.[p]
18 A man who is hot-tempered will stir up strife,
but he who is slow to anger,[q] he will calm contention.
19 The way of the lazy is like a hedge of thorns,[r]
but the path of the upright is a highway.
20 A child of wisdom will make a father glad,
but a foolish person,[s] he despises his mother.
21 Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,[t]
and a person of understanding will walk upright.[u]
22 Plans go wrong when there is no counsel,
but with many advisors it will succeed.
23 Joy belongs to a man with answers in his mouth,
and a word in its time, how good it is!
24 The path of life leads upward for him who has insight,
in order to turn away from Sheol below.
25 The house of the proud, Yahweh will tear it down,
but he will maintain the property line[v] of the widow.
26 Plans of evil are an abomination of Yahweh,
but gracious words are pure.
27 He who makes trouble for his house is he who is greedy for unjust gain,
but he who hates bribes will live.
28 A heart[w] of righteousness will ponder the answer,
but a mouth of wickedness will pour out deceit.
29 Yahweh is far from the wicked,
but the prayers of the righteous he will hear.
30 From the light of the eyes, the heart[x] will rejoice,
and good news will enliven the bones.[y]
31 The ear of him who listens to admonitions of life,
in the midst of the wise it will lodge.
32 He who ignores instruction despises himself,[z]
but he who hears admonition gains heart.[aa]
33 Fear of Yahweh is the instruction of the wise,
and before honor comes humility.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:1 Literally “nostril”
- Proverbs 15:4 Or “Healing”
- Proverbs 15:4 That is, the tongue
- Proverbs 15:7 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 15:11 A term for the place where the dead reside, i.e., the Underworld
- Proverbs 15:11 Poetic synonym for “Sheol.” Only mentioned in the ot in relation to Sheol, the grave, or death.
- Proverbs 15:11 Literally “more for”
- Proverbs 15:12 Literally “rebuke belonging to him”
- Proverbs 15:13 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 15:13 Literally “faces”
- Proverbs 15:13 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 15:14 Hebrew “he/it”
- Proverbs 15:15 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 15:16 Or “him”
- Proverbs 15:17 Hebrew “and”
- Proverbs 15:17 Or “him”
- Proverbs 15:18 Literally “nostrils”
- Proverbs 15:19 Hebrew “thorn”
- Proverbs 15:20 Literally “foolishness of humankind”
- Proverbs 15:21 Literally “heart”
- Proverbs 15:21 Literally “he will walk upright walking”
- Proverbs 15:25 Literally “boundary”
- Proverbs 15:28 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 15:30 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 15:30 Hebrew “bone”
- Proverbs 15:32 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 15:32 Or “mind”
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