Bible Browser

15A soft answer turns away wrath,
   but a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge,^*
   but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
³ The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
   keeping watch on the evil and the good.
⁴ A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
   but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
⁵ A fool despises a parent’s instruction,
   but the one who heeds admonition is prudent.
⁶ In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
   but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
   not so the minds of fools.
⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
   but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
   but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.
¹⁰ There is severe discipline for one who forsakes the way,
   but one who hates a rebuke will die.
¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
   how much more human hearts!
¹² Scoffers do not like to be rebuked;
   they will not go to the wise.
¹³ A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance,
   but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.
¹⁴ The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
   but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵ All the days of the poor are hard,
   but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
   than great treasure and trouble with it.
¹⁷ Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is
   than a fatted ox and hatred with it.
¹⁸ Those who are hot-tempered stir up strife,
   but those who are slow to anger calm contention.
¹⁹ The way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,
   but the path of the upright is a level highway.
²⁰ A wise child makes a glad father,
   but the foolish despise their mothers.
²¹ Folly is a joy to one who has no sense,
   but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.
²² Without counsel, plans go wrong,
   but with many advisers they succeed.
²³ To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone,
   and a word in season, how good it is!
²⁴ For the wise the path of life leads upwards,
   in order to avoid Sheol below.
²⁵ The Lord tears down the house of the proud,
   but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
²⁶ Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
   but gracious words are pure.
²⁷ Those who are greedy for unjust gain make trouble for their households,
   but those who hate bribes will live.
²⁸ The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,
   but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.
²⁹ The Lord is far from the wicked,
   but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
³⁰ The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
   and good news refreshes the body.
³¹ The ear that heeds wholesome admonition
   will lodge among the wise.
³² Those who ignore instruction despise themselves,
   but those who heed admonition gain understanding.
³³ The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
   and humility goes before honour.

16The plans of the mind belong to mortals,
   but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All one’s ways may be pure in one’s own eyes,
   but the Lord weighs the spirit.
³ Commit your work to the Lord,
   and your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
   even the wicked for the day of trouble.
⁵ All those who are arrogant are an abomination to the Lord;
   be assured, they will not go unpunished.
⁶ By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
   and by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.
⁷ When the ways of people please the Lord,
   he causes even their enemies to be at peace with them.
⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
   than large income with injustice.
⁹ The human mind plans the way,
   but the Lord directs the steps.
¹⁰ Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;
   his mouth does not sin in judgement.
¹¹ Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;
   all the weights in the bag are his work.
¹² It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
   for the throne is established by righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
   and he loves those who speak what is right.
¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
   and whoever is wise will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face there is life,
   and his favour is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold!
   To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
¹⁷ The highway of the upright avoids evil;
   those who guard their way preserve their lives.
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
   and a haughty spirit before a fall.
¹⁹ It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor
   than to divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰ Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper,
   and happy are those who trust in the Lord.
²¹ The wise of heart is called perceptive,
   and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
²² Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it,
   but folly is the punishment of fools.
²³ The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious,
   and adds persuasiveness to their lips.
²⁴ Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
   sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
²⁵ Sometimes there is a way that seems to be right,
   but in the end it is the way to death.
²⁶ The appetite of workers works for them;
   their hunger urges them on.
²⁷ Scoundrels concoct evil,
   and their speech is like a scorching fire.
²⁸ A perverse person spreads strife,
   and a whisperer separates close friends.
²⁹ The violent entice their neighbours,
   and lead them in a way that is not good.
³⁰ One who winks the eyes plans^* perverse things;
   one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ Grey hair is a crown of glory;
   it is gained in a righteous life.
³² One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
   and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.
³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
   but the decision is the Lord’s alone.

17Better is a dry morsel with quiet
   than a house full of feasting with strife.
² A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully,
   and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
³ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
   but the Lord tests the heart.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips;
   and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;
   those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
⁶ Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
   and the glory of children is their parents.
⁷ Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
   still less is false speech to a ruler.^*
8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it;
   wherever they turn they prosper.
⁹ One who forgives an affront fosters friendship,
   but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.
¹⁰ A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person
   than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ Evil people seek only rebellion,
   but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
¹² Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs
   than to confront a fool immersed in folly.
¹³ Evil will not depart from the house
   of one who returns evil for good.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water;
   so stop before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵ One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous
   are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why should fools have a price in hand
   to buy wisdom, when they have no mind to learn?
¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
   and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.
¹⁸ It is senseless to give a pledge,
   to become surety for a neighbour.
¹⁹ One who loves transgression loves strife;
   one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.
²⁰ The crooked of mind do not prosper,
   and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.
²¹ The one who begets a fool gets trouble;
   the parent of a fool has no joy.
²² A cheerful heart is a good medicine,
   but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.
²³ The wicked accept a concealed bribe
   to pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴ The discerning person looks to wisdom,
   but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.
²⁵ Foolish children are a grief to their father
   and bitterness to her who bore them.
²⁶ To impose a fine on the innocent is not right,
   or to flog the noble for their integrity.
²⁷ One who spares words is knowledgeable;
   one who is cool in spirit has understanding.
²⁸ Even fools who keep silent are considered wise;
   when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.