Proverbs 15

¹A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a ^[a]harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise makes knowledge ^[b]acceptable,
But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
³ The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
⁴ A ^[c]soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it ^[d]crushes the spirit.
⁵ A fool ^[e]rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who regards reproof is sensible.
⁶ Great wealth is in the house of the 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.
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 to the Lord,
But He loves one who pursues righteousness.
¹⁰ Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way;
He who hates reproof will die.
^11 [f]Sheol and ^[g]Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
How much more the hearts of ^[h]men!
¹² A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,
He will not go to the wise.
¹³ A joyful heart makes a ^[i]cheerful face,
But ^[j]when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.
¹⁴ The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.
¹⁵ All the days of the afflicted are bad,
But a ^[k]cheerful heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶ Better is a little with the ^[l]fear of the Lord
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
¹⁷ Better is a ^[m]dish of ^[n]vegetables where love is
Than a fattened ox served with hatred.
¹⁸ A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.
¹⁹ The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
²⁰ A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.
²¹ Folly is joy to him who lacks ^[o]sense,
But a man of understanding walks straight.
²² Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they ^[p]succeed.
²³ A man has joy in an ^[q]apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely word!
²⁴ The path of life leads upward for the wise
That he may keep away from ^[r]Sheol below.
²⁵ The Lord will tear down the house of the proud,
But He will establish the boundary of the widow.
²⁶ Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
But pleasant words are pure.
²⁷ He who profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.
²⁸ The heart of the righteous ponders how 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 [s]Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news puts fat on the bones.
³¹ He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof
Will dwell among the wise.
³² He who neglects discipline despises himself,
But he who listens to reproof acquires ^[t]understanding.
³³ The ^[u]fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.