Proverbs 15

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¹A kind reply wards off anger, but hurtful words make people mad.

²What wise people say makes knowledge attractive, but stupid people talk a lot of nonsense.

³The Lord sees everywhere, watching the evil and the good.

⁴Gentle words are a source of life, but telling lies does a lot of damage.

⁵Only a foolish son despises his father's instruction, but one who accepts correction is sensible.

⁶There's plenty of treasure where good people live, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

⁷Wise people share their knowledge, but stupid people don't think like that.

⁸The Lord hates the sacrifices of the wicked, but he loves the prayers of the good.

⁹The Lord hates the ways of the wicked, but he loves those who do what is right.

¹⁰If you leave the right path you will be severely disciplined; anyone who hates correction will die.

¹¹Those already dead have no secrets from the Lord—how much more does he know our thoughts!

¹²Scoffers don't like to be corrected, so they don't go to the wise for advice.

¹³If you're happy inside, you'll have a cheerful face, but if you're sad, you look crushed.

¹⁴An insightful mind looks for knowledge, but stupid people feed on foolishness.

¹⁵The life of poor people is hard, but if you stay cheerful, it's a continual feast.

¹⁶It's better to respect the Lord and only have a little than to have plenty of money and the trouble that comes with it.

¹⁷Better a dinner of vegetables where there's love than eating meat with hatred.

¹⁸Short-tempered people stir up trouble, but those slow to anger calm things down.

¹⁹The way of lazy people is overgrown with thorns, but the path of the good is an open highway.

²⁰A wise son makes his father happy, but a stupid man despises his mother.

²¹Stupidity makes people with no sense happy, but sensible people do what is right.

²²Plans fall apart without good advice, but with plenty of advisors they're successful.

²³A good answer makes people happy—it's great to say the right thing at the right moment!

²⁴Life's path for the wise leads upwards, so that they can avoid the grave below.

²⁵The Lord pulls down the house of the proud, but he protects the boundaries of the widow's property.

²⁶The Lord hates the thoughts of the wicked, but he honors the words of the pure.

²⁷People greedy for ill-gotten gains make trouble for their families, but those who hate bribes will live.

²⁸Good people think how best to answer questions, but stupid people say all kinds of evil things.

²⁹The Lord keeps his distance from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the good.

³⁰Bright eyes make you happy, and good news makes you feel good.

³¹If you pay attention to positive advice you'll be one of the wise.

³²If you ignore instruction you have no self-esteem, but if you listen to correction you gain understanding.

³³Respect for the Lord teaches wisdom; humility goes before honor.