Proverbs 15 - Heartlight

¹A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

²The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.

³The eyes of the LORD are in every place,

observing the evil and the good.

⁴A soothing tongue is a tree of life,

but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

⁵A fool rejects his father’s discipline,

but whoever heeds correction is prudent.

⁶The house of the righteous has great treasure,

but the income of the wicked is trouble.

⁷The lips of the wise spread knowledge,

but not so the hearts of fools.

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD,

but the prayer of the upright is His delight.

⁹The LORD detests the way of the wicked,

but He loves those who pursue righteousness.

¹⁰Discipline is harsh for him who leaves the path;

he who hates correction will die.

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD —

how much more the hearts of men!

¹²A mocker does not love to be reproved,

nor will he consult the wise.

¹³A joyful heart makes a cheerful countenance,

but sorrow of the heart crushes the spirit.

¹⁴A discerning heart seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

¹⁵All the days of the oppressed are bad,

but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

¹⁶Better a little with the fear of the LORD

than great treasure with turmoil.

¹⁷Better a dish of vegetables where there is love

than a fattened ox with hatred.

¹⁸A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.

¹⁹The way of the slacker is like a hedge of thorns,

but the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Folly is joy to one who lacks judgment,

but a man of understanding walks a straight path.

²²Plans fail for lack of counsel,

but with many advisers they succeed.

²³A man takes joy in a fitting reply —

and how good is a timely word!

²⁴The path of life leads upward for the wise,

that he may avoid going down to Sheol.

²⁵The LORD tears down the house of the proud,

but He protects the boundaries of the widow.

²⁶The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked,

but the words of the pure are pleasant to Him.

²⁷He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household,

but he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil.

²⁹The LORD is far from the wicked,

but He hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰The light of the eyes cheers the heart,

and good news nourishes the bones.

³¹He who listens to life-giving reproof

will dwell among the wise.

³²He who ignores discipline despises himself,

but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.

³³The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.

— Proverbs 15

(BSB)

Related Resources from Heartlight

There are 9 resources related to this passage:

Words to Say

Article by Phil Ware

What can I as a believer in Jesus actually do to make a difference in the tasteless and vile language that comes from every side, quarter, and position? Phil Ware shares how the Holy Spirit convicted him about the kind of speech he, and we must use in a world that has gone crazy at attacking each other.

A Mom Takes Her Stand

Article by Rubel Shelly

What's a mom to do? A mom reminds us how to use a gentle answer to deal with a difficult problem.

In Search of a Happy Heart

Article by Bill Sherrill

Why do we take ourselves so seriously? We take ourselves way too seriously and end up adding unnecessary stress to our lives.

Scratching in Favorite Places

Article by Joey Cope

So how do you overcome a conflict with your dog and other friends? Sometimes words fail and kind actions have to rule the day!

Something Better Than a Critic

Article by Rubel Shelly

Isn't there anything nice to say? Rubel Reminds us that there are nearly always good things to say about others if we will look and most folks need something kind and encouraging said to them.

The Happiness Test

Article by Randy Becton

How happy are you ... really? How happy are you today? You can be happier if you will take care of your soul!

Having a Fitting Reply

Virtual Worship by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

Let's worship today, praising God and asking for the help of the Holy Spirit as we seek to respond to people as Jesus did! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in online, virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos to help us understand how to give fitting replies to others in different conversation contexts.

The Push for Purple

Article by Rubel Shelly

When did soft-pedaling wrong answers become acceptable? Sometimes we go overboard in trying not to correct, disappoint, or change someone.

There are Trees and There are Trees

Article by Elizabeth Price

What's the difference between loquats and apricots? Different kinds of trees fulfill different needs, just like we need different kinds of friends.

Cross References for Proverbs 15

Cross References Provided by Open Bible

The Berean Standard Bible

The Berean Standard Bible (BSB) is a modern, clear, and faithful translation based on the best available Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. Ideal for reading, study, and sharing, it entered the public domain in 2023. For more information, visit berean.bible.