Proverbs 15
Expanded Bible
15 A ·gentle [soft; tender] answer ·will calm a person’s anger [L turns back/T away wrath],
but an ·unkind [painful; sharp] answer ·will cause more [raises] anger.
2 Wise people use knowledge when they speak,
but fools ·pour out [bubble forth with] foolishness.
3 The Lord’s eyes ·see everything [L are everywhere];
he watches both evil and good people.
4 ·As a tree gives fruit, healing words give life [L A healthy/healing tongue is a tree of life],
but ·dishonest [deceitful; perverse] words crush the spirit.
5 Fools ·reject [disdain] their ·parents’ [father’s] ·correction [discipline],
but anyone who ·accepts [guards] correction is wise.
6 Much ·wealth [treasure] is in the houses of ·good [righteous] people,
but evil people get nothing but trouble.
7 Wise people use their ·words [L lips] to ·spread [scatter; disperse] knowledge,
but there is no knowledge in the ·thoughts [hearts; minds] of fools.
8 The Lord ·hates [detests] the sacrifice that the wicked offer,
but he ·likes [favors] the prayers of ·honest people [people with integrity].
9 The Lord ·hates [detests] ·what evil people do [L the path of the wicked],
but he ·loves [favors] those who ·do what is right [pursue righteousness].
10 The person who ·quits doing what is right [L abandons the way] will be punished,
and the one who hates to be corrected will die.
11 ·The Lord knows what is happening in the world of the dead [L Sheol and Abaddon/Destruction are before the Lord],
so he surely knows the ·thoughts of the living [L human heart].
12 ·Those who make fun of wisdom [L Mockers] don’t like to be corrected;
they will not ·ask the wise for advice [L go to the wise].
13 ·Happiness makes a person smile [L A joyful heart brightens one’s face],
but ·sadness [L a troubled heart] can break a person’s spirit.
14 ·People with understanding want more [L Understanding hearts seek] knowledge,
but fools ·just want more [L feed on] foolishness.
15 Every day is hard for ·those who suffer [or the poor],
but a happy heart is like a continual feast.
16 It is better to ·be poor [have little] and ·respect [fear] the Lord
than to ·be wealthy [have great treasure] and ·have much trouble [turmoil].
17 It is better to eat vegetables with those who love you
than ·to eat meat [L an ox of the stall] with those who hate you.
18 People with quick tempers cause ·trouble [conflict],
but ·those who control their tempers [patient people] stop ·a quarrel [accusations].
19 A lazy person’s ·life [L path] is like a patch of thorns,
but an ·honest [virtuous] person’s ·life [path] is like a smooth highway.
20 Wise ·children [sons] make their father happy,
but foolish ·children [L people] disrespect their mother.
21 A person without ·wisdom [sense/heart] enjoys being foolish,
but someone with understanding ·does what is right [walks straight ahead].
22 Plans fail without good advice,
but they succeed with the advice of many others.
23 People enjoy giving ·good advice [L a right reply].
Saying the right word at the right time is so pleasing.
24 ·Wise [Insightful] people’s ·lives [L way] ·get better and better [move upward].
They ·avoid whatever would cause their death [L turn aside from Sheol/the grave below].
25 The Lord will ·tear down [uproot] the proud person’s house,
but he will ·protect [establish] the widow’s ·property [boundaries].
26 The Lord ·hates [detests] evil ·thoughts [or plans]
but ·is pleased with kind words [L pleasing words are pure].
27 ·Greedy people [L Those who get unjust gain] bring trouble to their ·families [L house],
but the person who ·can’t be paid to do wrong [L hates gifts/bribes] will live.
28 ·Good people [L The heart/mind of the righteous] ·think [reflect; meditate] before they answer,
but the wicked simply ·pour [blurt] out evil.
29 The Lord ·does not listen to [L is far from] the wicked,
but he hears the prayers of ·those who do right [the righteous].
30 Good news ·makes you feel better [L refreshes the bone].
·Your happiness will show in your eyes [L The light of the eyes give joy to the heart].
31 ·If you listen to correction to improve your life,
you [L The ear that listens to correction] will ·live [lodge] among the wise.
32 Those who ·refuse [neglect] ·correction [discipline] hate themselves,
but those who ·accept [listen to] correction ·gain understanding [L acquire heart/mind].
33 ·Respect [Fear] for the Lord ·will teach you wisdom [is wise instruction/discipline].
·If you want to be honored, you must be humble [L Humility comes before glory].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
