Proverbs 15

Wycliffe Bible

15 A soft answer breaketh ire; an hard word raiseth strong vengeance.

² The tongue of wise men honoureth knowing (The speaking of the wise honoureth knowledge); the mouth of fools boileth out folly.

³ In each place the eyes of the Lord behold good men, and evil men.

⁴ A pleasant tongue is the tree of life; but the tongue that is unmeasurable, (or unable to be checked,) shall defoul the spirit.

⁵ A fool scorneth the teaching of his father; but he that keepeth blamings (but he who receiveth rebukes), shall be made wiser. Most virtue shall be in plenteous rightfulness; but the thoughts of wicked men shall be drawn up by the root.

⁶ (In) The house of a just man is full great strength; and troubling is in the fruits of a wicked man. (In the house of the righteous is very great wealth; and trouble is in the fruits of the wicked.)

⁷ The lips of wise men shall sow abroad knowing (The lips of the wise sow abroad knowledge); (but) the heart(s) of fools shall be unlike (them, that is, they shall be full of ignorance).

⁸ The sacrifices of wicked men be abominable to the Lord; the avows of just men be pleasant. (The sacrifices of the wicked be abominable to the Lord; but the vows of the righteous be pleasing to him.)

⁹ The life of the unpious man is (an) abomination to the Lord; he that followeth rightfulness, shall be loved of the Lord. (The life of an evil person is an abomination to the Lord; but he who followeth righteousness, shall be loved by the Lord.)

¹⁰ Evil teaching is of men that forsake the way of life; he that hateth blamings shall die. (Evil teaching is from those who abandon the way of life; he who hateth rebukes shall die.)

¹¹ Hell and perdition be open before the Lord; how much more the hearts of [the] sons (and daughters) of men.

¹² A man full of pestilence loveth not him that reproveth him; and he goeth not to wise men.

¹³ A joyful heart maketh glad the face; (but) the spirit is cast down in the mourning of (the) soul.

¹⁴ The heart of a wise man seeketh teaching; and the mouth of fools is fed with unknowing, (or with ignorance).

¹⁵ All the days of a poor man be evil; a secure soul is a continual feast. (All the days of the poor be evil; the life of a secure soul is a continual feast.)

¹⁶ Better is a little with the dread of the Lord, than many treasures and unfillable. (Better is a little with the fear of the Lord/with reverence for the Lord, than many treasures and troubles.)

¹⁷ It is better to be called to worts with charity, than with hatred to a calf made fat. (It is better to be warmly, or cordially, called to herbs, or vegetables, than to be hatefully invited to share a fattened calf.)

¹⁸ A wrathful man raiseth chidings; he that is patient, assuageth chidings that were raised.

¹⁹ The way of slow men is as an hedge of thorns; the way of just men is without [thing of] hurting. (A lazy person’s way is a hedge of thorns; but the way of the righteous is without a cause of stumbling.)

²⁰ A wise son maketh glad his father; but a fond man despiseth his mother. (A wise son maketh his father happy; but a fool despiseth his mother.)

²¹ Folly is joy to a fool; but a prudent man shall (ad)dress his steps. (Foolishness bringeth joy to a fool; but a prudent person shall direct his steps.)

²² Thoughts be destroyed, where no counsel is; but where many counsellors be, they be confirmed. (Plans come to naught, where there is no wise advice; but where there be many counsellors, the plans succeed.)

²³ A man is glad in the sentence of his mouth; and a covenable word is best (but a suitable word is always best).

²⁴ The path of life is on a learned man; that he bow away from the last hell. (The path of life leadeth upward for the learned; yea, so that they turn away from Sheol, or the land of the dead/so that they turn away from hell, which is below.)

²⁵ The Lord shall destroy the house of proud men; and he shall make steadfast the coasts of a widow. (The Lord shall destroy the house of the proud; but he shall make firm the property lines, or the boundary stones, of a widow.)

²⁶ Evil thoughts is abomination of the Lord; and a clean word most fair shall be made steadfast of him. (Evil thoughts be an abomination to the Lord; but a most fair, and clean, word is his delight.)

²⁷ He that followeth avarice, troubleth his house; but he that hateth gifts shall live (long). Sins be purged by mercy and faith; each man boweth away from evil by the dread of the Lord (Sins be cleansed by love and faith; all can turn away from evil by the fear of the Lord/with reverence for the Lord).

²⁸ The soul of a just man bethinketh obedience; the mouth of wicked men is full of evils. (The righteous think before that they answer; but the ready reply of the wicked is usually full of evil.)

²⁹ The Lord is far from wicked men; and he shall hear the prayers of just men. (The Lord is far from the wicked; but he shall hear the prayers of the righteous.)

³⁰ The light of (the) eyes maketh glad the soul; good fame maketh fat the bones. (Sparkling eyes make a person happy; good news fatteneth up the bones.)

³¹ The ear that heareth the blamings of life, shall dwell in the midst of wise men. (The person who listeneth to rebukes, shall live in the midst of the wise.)

³² He that casteth away chastising, despiseth his soul; but he that assenteth to blamings, is a peaceable holder of the heart (He who casteth away discipline, despiseth his own soul; but he who accepteth rebukes, shall become wiser.)

³³ The dread of the Lord is teaching of wisdom; and meekness goeth before glory. (The fear of the Lord/Reverence for the Lord is the teaching of wisdom; and humility goeth before honour.)