Proverbs 15-16

English Standard Version

15 ^(A)A soft answer turns away wrath,
    but ^(B)a harsh word stirs up anger.
²The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
    but ^(C)the mouths of fools pour out folly.
³^(D)The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
    keeping watch on the evil and the good.
⁴^(E)A gentle^[a] tongue is ^(F)a tree of life,
    but ^(G)perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
⁵^(H)A fool ^(I)despises his father's instruction,
    but ^(J)whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
⁶In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
    but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
⁷^(K)The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
    ^(L)not so the hearts of fools.^[b]
⁸^(M)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but ^(N)the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
⁹The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but he loves him ^(O)who pursues righteousness.
¹⁰There is ^(P)severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
    ^(Q)whoever hates reproof will die.
¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
    how much more ^(R)the hearts of the children of man!
¹²^(S)A scoffer ^(T)does not like to be reproved;
    he will not go to the wise.
¹³^(U)A glad heart makes a cheerful face,
    but by ^(V)sorrow of heart the spirit is ^(W)crushed.
¹⁴^(X)The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are evil,
    but ^(Y)the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶^(Z)Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great treasure and trouble with it.
¹⁷^(AA)Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
    than ^(AB)a fattened ox and hatred with it.
¹⁸^(AC)A hot-tempered man ^(AD)stirs up strife,
    but he who is ^(AE)slow to anger quiets contention.
¹⁹The way of ^(AF)a sluggard is like a hedge of ^(AG)thorns,
    but the path of the upright is ^(AH)a level highway.
²⁰^(AI)A wise son makes a glad father,
    but a foolish man despises his mother.
²¹^(AJ)Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
    but a man of understanding ^(AK)walks straight ahead.
²²^(AL)Without counsel plans fail,
    but with many advisers they succeed.
²³To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
    and ^(AM)a word in season, how good it is!
²⁴The path of life leads upward ^(AN)for the prudent,
    that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
²⁵The Lord tears down the house of ^(AO)the proud
    but ^(AP)maintains ^(AQ)the widow's boundaries.
²⁶^(AR)The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
    but ^(AS)gracious words are pure.
²⁷Whoever is ^(AT)greedy for unjust gain ^(AU)troubles his own household,
    but he who hates ^(AV)bribes will live.
²⁸The heart of the righteous ^(AW)ponders how to answer,
    but ^(AX)the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
²⁹The Lord is ^(AY)far from the wicked,
    but he ^(AZ)hears the prayer of the righteous.
³⁰^(BA)The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
    and ^(BB)good news refreshes^[c] the bones.
³¹^(BC)The ear that listens to ^(BD)life-giving reproof
    will dwell among the wise.
³²Whoever ^(BE)ignores instruction ^(BF)despises himself,
    but he who listens to reproof ^(BG)gains intelligence.
³³^(BH)The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
    and ^(BI)humility comes before honor.

16 The plans of the heart belong to man,
    but ^(BJ)the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
²^(BK)All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
    but the Lord ^(BL)weighs the spirit.^[d]
³^(BM)Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.
⁴^(BN)The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even ^(BO)the wicked for the day of trouble.
⁵Everyone who is arrogant in heart is ^(BP)an abomination to the Lord;
    ^(BQ)be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶By ^(BR)steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by ^(BS)the fear of the Lord one ^(BT)turns away from evil.
⁷When a man's ways please the Lord,
    ^(BU)he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
⁸^(BV)Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
⁹^(BW)The heart of man plans his way,
    but ^(BX)the Lord establishes his steps.
¹⁰^(BY)An oracle is on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
¹¹^(BZ)A just balance and scales are the Lord's;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.
¹²It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for ^(CA)the throne is established by righteousness.
¹³^(CB)Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves him who speaks what is right.
¹⁴^(CC)A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
    and a wise man will ^(CD)appease it.
¹⁵^(CE)In the light of a king's face there is life,
    and his ^(CF)favor is like ^(CG)the clouds that bring the spring rain.
¹⁶^(CH)How much better to get wisdom than ^(CI)gold!
    To get understanding is to be chosen rather than ^(CJ)silver.
¹⁷The highway of the upright ^(CK)turns aside from evil;
    whoever guards his way preserves his life.
¹⁸^(CL)Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.
¹⁹^(CM)It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
    than to ^(CN)divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰Whoever gives thought to the word^[e] ^(CO)will discover good,
    and blessed is he ^(CP)who trusts in the Lord.
²¹The wise of heart is called discerning,
    and sweetness of speech ^(CQ)increases persuasiveness.
²²Good sense is ^(CR)a fountain of life to him who has it,
    but the instruction of fools is folly.
²³^(CS)The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
²⁴^(CT)Gracious words are like ^(CU)a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and ^(CV)health to the body.
²⁵There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.^[f]
²⁶A worker's appetite works for him;
    his ^(CW)mouth urges him on.
²⁷^(CX)A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech^[g] is like ^(CY)a scorching fire.
²⁸^(CZ)A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and ^(DA)a whisperer ^(DB)separates close friends.
²⁹A man of violence ^(DC)entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰Whoever winks his eyes plans^[h] ^(DD)dishonest things;
    he who ^(DE)purses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹^(DF)Gray hair is ^(DG)a crown of glory;
    it ^(DH)is gained in a righteous life.
³²^(DI)Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
³³^(DJ)The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is ^(DK)from the Lord.