Proverbs 15 Living Bible
15 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words cause quarrels.
2 A wise teacher makes learning a joy; a rebellious teacher spouts foolishness.
3 The Lord is watching everywhere and keeps his eye on both the evil and the good.
4 Gentle words cause life and health; griping brings discouragement.
5 Only a fool despises his father’s advice; a wise son considers each suggestion.
6 There is treasure in being good, but trouble dogs the wicked.
7 Only the good can give good advice. Rebels can’t.
8 The Lord hates the gifts of the wicked but delights in the prayers of his people.
9-10 The Lord despises the deeds of the wicked but loves those who try to be good. If they stop trying, the Lord will punish them; if they rebel against that punishment, they will die.
11 The depths of hell are open to God’s knowledge. How much more the hearts of all mankind!
12 A mocker stays away from wise men because he hates to be scolded.
13 A happy face means a glad heart; a sad face means a breaking heart.
14 A wise man is hungry for truth, while the mocker feeds on trash.
15 When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right!
16 Better a little with reverence for God than great treasure and trouble with it.
17 It is better to eat soup with someone you love than steak with someone you hate.
18 A quick-tempered man starts fights; a cool-tempered man tries to stop them.
19 A lazy fellow has trouble all through life; the good man’s path is easy!
20 A sensible son gladdens his father. A rebellious son saddens his mother.[a]
21 If a man enjoys folly, something is wrong! The sensible stay on the pathways of right.
22 Plans go wrong with too few counselors; many counselors bring success.
23 Everyone enjoys giving good advice, and how wonderful it is to be able to say the right thing at the right time!
24 The road of the godly leads upward, leaving hell behind.
25 The Lord destroys the possessions of the proud but cares for widows.
26 The Lord hates the thoughts of the wicked but delights in kind words.[b]
27 Dishonest money brings grief to all the family, but hating bribes brings happiness.[c]
28 A good man thinks before he speaks; the evil man pours out his evil words without a thought.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.
30 Pleasant sights and good reports give happiness and health.
31-32 If you profit from constructive criticism, you will be elected to the wise men’s hall of fame. But to reject criticism is to harm yourself and your own best interests.
33 Humility and reverence for the Lord will make you both wise and honored.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:20 saddens his mother, literally, “despises his mother.”
- Proverbs 15:26 but delights in kind words, literally, “but kind words are pure.”
- Proverbs 15:27 brings happiness, literally, “you will live.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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