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 A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
³ The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
⁴ A gentle^[a] tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
⁵ A fool despises his father's instruction,
but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
⁶ In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools.^[b]
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
¹⁰ There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die.
¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
how much more the hearts of the children of man!
¹² A scoffer does not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
¹³ A glad heart makes a cheerful face,
but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.
¹⁴ The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵ All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
¹⁷ Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
¹⁸ A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
¹⁹ The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.
²⁰ A wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
²¹ Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.
²² Without counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
²³ To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
²⁴ The path of life leads upward for the prudent,
that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
²⁵ The Lord tears down the house of the proud
but maintains the widow's boundaries.
²⁶ The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but gracious words are pure.
²⁷ Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,
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 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes^[c] the bones.
³¹ The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
³² Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
³³ The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 15:4 Or healing
2. Proverbs 15:7 Or the hearts of fools are not steadfast
3. Proverbs 15:30 Hebrew makes fat

Cross references:

1. Proverbs 15:1 : [ch. 25:15]; See Judg. 8:1-3
2. Proverbs 15:1 : See 1 Sam. 25:10-13; 1 Kgs. 12:13-16
3. Proverbs 15:2 : [ver. 28; ch. 12:23; 13:16; 18:2]
4. Proverbs 15:3 : See Job 31:4
5. Proverbs 15:4 : [ch. 12:18]
6. Proverbs 15:4 : See ch. 3:18
7. Proverbs 15:4 : ch. 11:3
8. Proverbs 15:5 : [ch. 10:1]
9. Proverbs 15:5 : [Ps. 107:11]
10. Proverbs 15:5 : [ch. 13:18]
11. Proverbs 15:7 : [Matt. 12:34, 35]
12. Proverbs 15:7 : [Matt. 12:34, 35]
13. Proverbs 15:8 : ch. 21:27; Eccles. 5:1; Isa. 1:11, 15
14. Proverbs 15:8 : [ver. 29]
15. Proverbs 15:9 : ch. 21:21; 1 Tim. 6:11; [ch. 11:19]
16. Proverbs 15:10 : [Isa. 1:5]
17. Proverbs 15:10 : See ch. 12:1
18. Proverbs 15:11 : 2 Chr. 6:30; Ps. 44:21; John 2:24; See 1 Sam. 16:7
19. Proverbs 15:12 : See Ps. 1:1
20. Proverbs 15:12 : Amos 5:10
21. Proverbs 15:13 : [ver. 15; ch. 17:22]
22. Proverbs 15:13 : See ch. 12:25
23. Proverbs 15:13 : ch. 18:14
24. Proverbs 15:14 : ch. 14:6; 19:24
25. Proverbs 15:15 : ver. 13
26. Proverbs 15:16 : ch. 16:8; Ps. 37:16; [1 Tim. 6:6]
27. Proverbs 15:17 : ch. 17:1
28. Proverbs 15:17 : [Matt. 22:4; Luke 15:23]
29. Proverbs 15:18 : ch. 29:22; [ch. 16:28; 26:21]
30. Proverbs 15:18 : ch. 28:25
31. Proverbs 15:18 : See ch. 14:29
32. Proverbs 15:19 : ch. 19:24; 22:13
33. Proverbs 15:19 : ch. 22:5
34. Proverbs 15:19 : Jer. 18:15
35. Proverbs 15:20 : See ch. 29:3
36. Proverbs 15:21 : ch. 10:23
37. Proverbs 15:21 : [Eph. 5:15]
38. Proverbs 15:22 : ch. 11:14; [ch. 20:18]
39. Proverbs 15:23 : ch. 25:11; [Isa. 50:4]
40. Proverbs 15:24 : Col. 3:1, 2; [ch. 2:18, 19; Phil. 3:20]
41. Proverbs 15:25 : [ch. 29:23]
42. Proverbs 15:25 : [ch. 23:10]
43. Proverbs 15:25 : [Ps. 68:5; 146:9]
44. Proverbs 15:26 : ch. 6:16, 18
45. Proverbs 15:26 : ch. 16:24
46. Proverbs 15:27 : ch. 1:19; [Isa. 5:8; Jer. 17:11]
47. Proverbs 15:27 : ch. 11:29; [Josh. 7:25]
48. Proverbs 15:27 : ch. 17:23
49. Proverbs 15:28 : Ps. 37:30
50. Proverbs 15:28 : [1 Pet. 3:15]; See ver. 2
51. Proverbs 15:29 : [Ps. 18:41; 34:16]
52. Proverbs 15:29 : Ps. 145:18, 19; [ver. 8]
53. Proverbs 15:30 : Ps. 38:10
54. Proverbs 15:30 : [ch. 25:25]
55. Proverbs 15:31 : ver. 5; ch. 20:12; 25:12
56. Proverbs 15:31 : [ch. 6:23]
57. Proverbs 15:32 : [ch. 8:33]
58. Proverbs 15:32 : See ch. 8:36
59. Proverbs 15:32 : [ch. 19:8]
60. Proverbs 15:33 : See ch. 1:7
61. Proverbs 15:33 : ch. 18:12