Proverbs Chapter 15

¹ A gentle answer deflects anger;

harsh words make tempers flare.

                  ²The wise dispense knowledge;

            fools expound foolishness.

³ Yahveh sees everything;

he watches the evil and the good.

                  ⁴Gentle words are a tree of life,

            but perverse talk breaks people’s spirit.

⁵ Fools reject their father’s discipline,

but those attentive to correction become prudent.

                  ⁶There’s wealth in the house of the godly,

            but the earnings of the sinful bring trouble.

Prov 15:1-6

⁷ The lips of the wise give good advice;

the hearts of fools have nothing to offer.

                  ⁸Yahveh detests the sacrifices of sinners,

                  but delights in the prayers of the righteous.

                  ⁹He detests the way of the wicked,

                  but loves people who pursue goodness.

                  ¹⁰Those who abandon the way incur harsh discipline;

                  those who reject discipline die.

¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon lie open before Yahveh;

how much more our hearts!

                  ¹²Scoffers don’t like people that rebuke them;

            so they stay away from the wise.                               

Prov 15:7-12

¹³ A cheerful heart makes a happy face,

but a sad heart breaks the spirit.

                  ¹⁴The mind of the wise is hungry for insight,

            but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

¹⁵ Negative people have nothing but bad days,

but with a happy heart they enjoy a continual feast.

                  ¹⁶It’s better to have a little with reverence for Yahveh

            than to have a lot with turmoil attached.

¹⁷ A plate of vegetables with someone you love tastes better

than a roast from a grain-fed cow with someone you don’t like.

                  ¹⁸Hot-tempered people stir up quarrels,

            but controlling anger calms contentions.                   

Prov 15:13-18

¹⁹ Briers overgrow lazy people’s paths,

but the upright travel on an open road.

                  ²⁰Wise children make a happy father;

            foolish ones despise their mother.

²¹ Foolishness is fun for the foolish,

but the wise walk on a straight path.

                  ²²Without advice plans go awry,

            but with many advisors they succeed.

²³ Everyone enjoys giving a good answer,

and a timely word delights those who hear it!

                  ²⁴The path of the wise leads upward

            away from Sheol below.                                            

Prov 15:19-24

²⁵ Yahveh tears down the house of the proud

but protects the widow’s home.

                  ²⁶Yahveh detests evil plans

            but delights in pure words.

²⁷ Those greedy for gain bring trouble home;

those who refuse bribes live in peace.

                  ²⁸The godly think before they speak;

            sinners blurt out evil without thinking.

²⁹ Yahveh stands far away from the sinful,

but he listens to the prayers decent people offer.

                  ³⁰A cheerful look makes the heart happy;

            good news refreshes us deep inside.                          

Prov 15:25-30

³¹ If you listen to constructive correction,  

you’ll live among the wise.

                  ³²If you ignore instruction, you only hurt yourself;

            by heeding correction, you gain insight.

³³ Respecting Yahveh teaches wisdom;

humility comes before honor.                                                

Prov 15:31-33