Proverbs 15

1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth 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 breaks the spirit.5 A fool despises his fathers instruction, But he who receives correction is prudent.6  In the house of the righteous there 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 fool 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 to the Lord, But He loves him who follows righteousness.10 Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, And he who hates correction will die.11 Hell and Destruction are before the Lord; So how much more the hearts of the sons of men.12 A scoffer does not love one who corrects 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 a 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 allays contention.19 The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, But the way 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 is destitute of discernment, But a man of understanding walks uprightly.22 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 a word spoken in due season, how good it is! 24 The way of life winds upward for the wise, That he may turn away from hell below.25 The Lord will destroy the house of the proud, But He will establish the boundary of the widow.26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, But the words of the pure are pleasant.27 He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, But he who hates bribes will live.28 The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.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 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 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility.

PROVERBS 15

The [Lord] Sees Everything

1 A kind answer
soothes angry feelings,
but harsh words
stir them up.

2 Words of wisdom
come from the wise,
but fools speak foolishness.

3 The [Lord] sees everything,
whether good or bad.

4 Kind words are good medicine,
but deceitful words
can really hurt.

5 Don't be a fool
and disobey your parents.
Be smart! Accept correction.

6 Good people become wealthy,
but those who are evil
will lose what they have.

7 Words of wisdom
make good sense;
the thoughts of a fool
make no sense at all.

8 The [Lord] is disgusted
by gifts from the wicked,
but it makes him happy
when his people pray.

9 The [Lord] is disgusted
with all who do wrong,
but he loves everyone
who does right.

10 If you turn from the right way,
you will be punished;
if you refuse correction,
you will die.

11 If the [Lord] can see everything
in the world of the dead,
he can see in our hearts.

12 Those who sneer at others
don't like to be corrected,
and they won't ask help
from someone with sense.

13 Happiness makes you smile;
sorrow can crush you.

14 Anyone with good sense
is eager to learn more,
but fools are hungry
for foolishness.

15 The poor have a hard life,
but being content is as good
as an endless feast.

16 It's better to obey the [Lord]
and have only a little,
than to be very rich
and terribly anxious.

17 A simple meal with love
is better than a feast
where there is hatred.

18 Losing your temper
causes a lot of trouble,
but staying calm
settles arguments.

19 A lazy person refuses
to clear a thorny path,
but everyone who does right
walks on a smooth road.

20 Children with good sense
make their parents happy,
but foolish children
despise them.

21 Stupidity brings happiness
to senseless fools,
but everyone with good sense
follows the straight path.

22 Without good advice
everything goes wrong—
it takes careful planning
for things to go right.

23 Giving the right answer
at the right time
makes everyone happy.

24 All who are wise follow a road
that leads upward to life
and away from death.

25 The [Lord] destroys the homes
of those who are proud,
but he protects the property
of widows.

26 The [Lord] hates evil thoughts,
but kind words please him.

27 Being greedy causes trouble
for your family,
but you protect yourself
by refusing bribes.

28 Good people think
before they answer,
but the wicked speak evil
without ever thinking.

29 The [Lord] never even hears
the prayers of the wicked,
but he answers the prayers
of all who obey him.

30 A friendly smile
makes you happy,
and good news
makes you feel strong.

31 Healthy correction is good,
and if you accept it,
you will be wise.

32 You hurt only yourself
by rejecting instruction,
but it makes good sense
to accept it.

33 Showing respect to the [Lord]
will make you wise,
and being humble
will bring honor to you.