Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

15 A (A)gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a [a](B)harsh word stirs up anger.
The (C)tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant,
But the (D)mouth of fools spouts foolishness.
The (E)eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
A [b]soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it [c]crushes the spirit.
A fool [d]rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who complies with rebuke is sensible.
Great wealth is in the house of the (F)righteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked.
The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so.
The (G)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But (H)the prayer of the upright is His delight.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves the one who (I)pursues righteousness.
10 There is severe punishment for one who abandons the way;
One who hates a rebuke will die.
11 [e](J)Sheol and [f]Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
How much more the (K)hearts of [g]mankind!
12 A (L)scoffer does not love one who rebukes him;
He will not go to the wise.
13 A (M)joyful heart makes a [h]cheerful face,
But [i]when the heart is (N)sad, the (O)spirit is broken.
14 The (P)mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
15 All the days of the [j]needy are bad,
But a [k]cheerful heart has a continual feast.
16 (Q)Better is a little with [l]the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure, and turmoil with [m]the treasure.
17 (R)Better is a portion of [n]vegetables where there is love,
Than a (S)fattened ox served with hatred.
18 A (T)hot-tempered person stirs up strife,
But the (U)slow to anger (V)calms a dispute.
19 The way of the [o]lazy one is like a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
20 A (W)wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man (X)despises his mother.
21 Foolishness is joy to one who lacks [p]sense,
But a person of understanding (Y)walks straight.
22 Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they [q]succeed.
23 A (Z)person has joy in an [r]apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely (AA)word!
24 The (AB)path of life leads upward for the wise,
So that he may keep away from [s]Sheol below.
25 The Lord will (AC)tear down the house of the proud,
But He will (AD)set the boundary of the (AE)widow.
26 Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
But pleasant words are pure.
27 He who (AF)profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who (AG)hates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous (AH)ponders how to answer,
But the (AI)mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is (AJ)far from the wicked,
But He (AK)hears the prayer of the righteous.
30 [t]Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news [u]refreshes the bones.
31 One whose ear listens to a life-giving rebuke
Will stay among the wise.
32 One who (AL)neglects discipline (AM)rejects himself,
But one who (AN)listens to a rebuke acquires [v]understanding.
33 [w]The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:1 Lit painful
  2. Proverbs 15:4 Lit healing
  3. Proverbs 15:4 Lit is the crushing of the spirit
  4. Proverbs 15:5 Or despises
  5. Proverbs 15:11 I.e., The netherworld
  6. Proverbs 15:11 I.e., place of destruction
  7. Proverbs 15:11 Lit sons of mankind
  8. Proverbs 15:13 Lit good
  9. Proverbs 15:13 Lit in sadness of heart
  10. Proverbs 15:15 Or wretched
  11. Proverbs 15:15 Lit good
  12. Proverbs 15:16 Or reverence for
  13. Proverbs 15:16 Lit it
  14. Proverbs 15:17 Or herbs
  15. Proverbs 15:19 Lit idle
  16. Proverbs 15:21 Lit heart
  17. Proverbs 15:22 Or are established
  18. Proverbs 15:23 Lit answer of his mouth
  19. Proverbs 15:24 I.e., the netherworld
  20. Proverbs 15:30 Lit The light of the eyes gladdens
  21. Proverbs 15:30 Lit makes fat
  22. Proverbs 15:32 Lit heart
  23. Proverbs 15:33 Or Reverence for

A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath

15 A (A)soft answer turns away wrath,
But (B)a harsh word stirs up anger.
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
(C)But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

(D)The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

A [a]wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

(E)A fool despises his father’s instruction,
(F)But he who [b]receives correction is prudent.

In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.

The lips of the wise [c]disperse knowledge,
But the heart of the fool does not do so.

(G)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves him who (H)follows righteousness.

10 (I)Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way,
And (J)he who hates correction will die.

11 (K)Hell[d] and [e]Destruction are before the Lord;
So how much more (L)the hearts of the sons of men.

12 (M)A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,
Nor will he go to the wise.

13 (N)A merry heart makes a cheerful [f]countenance,
But (O)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,
(P)But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

16 (Q)Better is a little with the fear of the Lord,
Than great treasure with trouble.
17 (R)Better is a dinner of [g]herbs where love is,
Than a fatted calf with hatred.

18 (S)A wrathful man stirs up strife,
But he who is slow to anger allays contention.

19 (T)The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,
But the way of the upright is a highway.

20 (U)A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.

21 (V)Folly is joy to him who is destitute of [h]discernment,
(W)But a man of understanding walks uprightly.

22 (X)Without counsel, plans go awry,
But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
And (Y)a word spoken [i]in due season, how good it is!

24 (Z)The way of life winds upward for the wise,
That he may (AA)turn away from [j]hell below.

25 (AB)The Lord will destroy the house of the proud,
But (AC)He will establish the boundary of the widow.

26 (AD)The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
(AE)But the words of the pure are pleasant.

27 (AF)He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.

28 The heart of the righteous (AG)studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

29 (AH)The Lord is far from the wicked,
But (AI)He hears the prayer of the righteous.

30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
And a good report makes the bones [k]healthy.

31 The ear that hears the rebukes of life
Will abide among the wise.
32 He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,
But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.
33 (AJ)The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,
And (AK)before honor is humility.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:4 Lit. healing
  2. Proverbs 15:5 Lit. keeps
  3. Proverbs 15:7 spread
  4. Proverbs 15:11 Or Sheol
  5. Proverbs 15:11 Heb. Abaddon
  6. Proverbs 15:13 face
  7. Proverbs 15:17 Or vegetables
  8. Proverbs 15:21 Lit. heart
  9. Proverbs 15:23 Lit. in its time
  10. Proverbs 15:24 Or Sheol
  11. Proverbs 15:30 Lit. fat

15 Ett mjukt svar stillar vrede,
    men hårda ord leder till harm.

Den vises tal ger mycken kunskap,
    men dåren pladdrar dumheter.

Herren genomskådar allt
    och håller sitt öga på både de onda och de goda.

Helande ord är ett livets träd,
    men svekfulla ord krossar modet.

Den dumme förkastar sin fars fostran,
    men klok är den som låter sig tillrättavisas.

I den rättfärdiges hus finns en stor skatt,
    men den gudlöses inkomster fördärvas.

Den vises tal sprider kunskap,
    men det finns inte i dårens tankar.

Herren avskyr de ondas offer
    men gläder sig över de rättsinnigas böner.

Herren avskyr de gudlösas leverne,
    men älskar den som strävar efter rättfärdighet.

10 Den som överger vägen får en hård fostran[a]
    och den som hatar tillrättavisning måste dö.

11 Dödsriket och avgrunden ligger öppna för Herren.
    Hur mycket mer då människornas innersta!

12 Hädaren gillar inte att bli tillrättavisad,
    och han vill inte gå till de visa.

13 Ett glatt hjärta får ansiktet att utstråla glädje,
    men hjärtesorg gör människan modlös.

14 Den förnuftiges hjärta söker kunskap,
    men dåren matar sig själv med dumhet.

15 För den betryckte är varje dag en påfrestning,
    men för den som är nöjd är var dag en fest.

16 Det är bättre att äga lite och frukta Herren
    än att äga mycket och oroa sig.

17 En tallrik grönsaker med kärlek är bättre
    än en fin oxstek med hat.

18 En man med häftigt humör vållar strid,
    men den tålmodige lugnar ner grälet.

19 Den lates väg spärras av törne,
    men den rättsinnige tar sig fram på en banad väg.

20 En vis son är sin fars glädje,
    en dåraktig föraktar sin mor.

21 Den som saknar vett gläder sig över dumhet,
    men den förståndige håller en rak kurs.

22 Utan samråd går planerna i stöpet,
    men med många rådgivare lyckas man.

23 Det är en glädje för människan att kunna ge svar – 
    hur gott är inte ett ord i rätt tid!

24 Den förståndige vandrar uppåt på livets väg
    för att undvika dödsriket där nere.

25 Herren river ner den högfärdiges hus,
    men gränsen till änkors egendom beskyddar han.

26 Herren avskyr de gudlösas tankar,
    men vänliga ord är rena.

27 Med oärligt förtjänta pengar drar man olycka över hela familjen,
    men den som hatar mutor får ett långt liv.

28 Den rättfärdige överväger sitt svar,
    men ur den gudlöses mun flödar ondska.

29 Herren är långt borta från de onda,
    men han hör den rättfärdiges böner.

30 En vänlig blick gör hjärtat glatt,
    en god nyhet ger kroppen hälsa.

31 Den som lyssnar till nyttig kritik
    får vistas bland de visa.

32 Den som avvisar fostran föraktar sitt eget liv,
    men den som tar emot tillrättavisning får insikt.

33 Herrens fruktan lär ut vishet,
    och ödmjukhet är vägen till ära.

Footnotes

  1. 15:10 Eller: Fostran är något ont för den som överger vägen…