Proverbs 15:1-33
1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
4 A wholesomea tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.
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 unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
10 Correctionb is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.
11 Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?
12 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.
13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
21 Folly is joy to him that is destitutec of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.
22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!
24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
25 The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasantd words.
27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.
28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.
31 The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.
32 He that refuseth instructione despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Proverbs 15. This chapter makes no new departure. Proverbs concerning the moral government of the world again occupy the chief place. One (Proverbs 15:11) is noteworthy as showing an extended conception of the sphere of God's government. Earlier Heb. religion regarded Sheol as outside the kingdom of God; there the dead do not praise or remember Him. We have also some more psychological proverbs dealing with the value of cheerfulness.
Proverbs 15:2. uttereth aright: paraphrase rather than translation, lit. makes good. Read drops (as Deuteronomy 32:2; Job 29:22), a more natural contrast to pours out in Proverbs 15:2 b.
Proverbs 15:3. The conception of God's omniscience and omnipotence begins to appear clearly in the later Wisdom-literature (cf. Job 24:21; 2 Chronicles 16:9). The earliest occurrence is in Jeremiah 32:19.
Proverbs 15:7. disperse: elsewhere only in a bad sense. A change of one letter gives preserve, which suits the context better. doeth not so is poor sense, as the mind cannot be said to scatter or disperse knowledge. RVm, though possible, gives no contrast. Read does not understand.
Proverbs 15:11. See above. Abaddon occurs in OT, principally in Wisdom-literature (cf. Proverbs 27:20; Job 26:6; Job 28:22; Job 31:12; also in Psalms 88:11). In each case it denotes a region of the underworld, and is apparently a synonym for Sheol. In Revelation 9:11 * Abaddon has become the name of the angel who rules the abyss, and is identified by the writer with Apollyon. The same conception is found in Rabbinical literature. Vö lter, in his commentary on Rev., identifies Abaddon with Ahriman, suggesting that the change from the conception of Abaddon as a place to that of an angel is due to Persian influence, the source of much of later Jewish angelology.
Proverbs 15:17. dinner: elsewhere only in 2 Kings 25:30 = Jeremiah 52:34. It means primarily a portion for a journey, hence here a slender, frugal meal. A stalled ox is a fatted ox, one kept in the stall and fed.
Proverbs 15:19 a. Read is hedged with thorns.
Proverbs 15:19 b. We expect the contrast of diligent with sluggard, hence emend upright to active or diligent (LXX). an highway: cf. Isaiah 57:14. The road is prepared for a great person in the East by casting up stones and earth to form a raised way.
Proverbs 15:25. The ease with which boundaries can be altered in the East is reflected in early legislation (Deuteronomy 19:14; Deuteronomy 27:17).
Proverbs 15:26 b is clearly in disorder, as the VSS show. Transpose the first two words in the Heb. and understand to him, reading the words of the pure are a pleasure to him.
Proverbs 15:30. the light of the eyes: may be taken (a) lit. as the light of the sun (cf. Ecclesiastes 11:7) and regarded as a comparison with Proverbs 15:30 b or (b) symbolically as good news which is reflected in the lighting up of the face.