Chapter Fifteen

1–7. Against the sins of speech. 8–15. God turns away from and hates every evil heart. 16–33. From the perspective of true wisdom, there is discussion of various virtues and vices, especially in religious life.

Proverbs 15:1. [Anger destroys even the wise.] A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:2. The tongue of the wise gives good knowledge, but the mouth of fools pours out folly. Proverbs 15:3. In every place the eyes of the Lord are watching: they see the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:4. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but an unbridled tongue is a crushing of the spirit. Proverbs 15:5. A fool despises the instruction of his father; but whoever heeds correction is prudent. [In the abundance of righteousness is great strength, and the wicked will be cut off from the land.] Proverbs 15:6. In the house of the righteous there is great treasure, but in the increase of the wicked there is trouble. Proverbs 15:7. The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the heart of a fool does not act so. Instruction is offered on gentleness and carefulness with words (v. 1, 4), while at the same time a warning is given against anger and mindless malice (v. 1–2). This is grounded in reference to God’s omniscience, from which neither good nor evil can be hidden (v. 3). Then the general thought about the benefit of wisdom and the harm of folly is developed (v. 5–7).

Proverbs 15:8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the righteous is pleasing to Him. Proverbs 15:9. An abomination to the Lord is the way of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue the way of righteousness. Proverbs 15:10. Severe punishment awaits the one who abandons the path, and whoever hates correction will perish. Proverbs 15:11. The underworld and Abaddon are open before the Lord; how much more the hearts of the children of men. Proverbs 15:12. A reckless person does not love those who rebuke him, and will not go to the wise. Proverbs 15:13. A cheerful heart makes the face cheerful, but when the heart grieves the spirit becomes dejected. Proverbs 15:14. The heart of the understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly. Proverbs 15:15. All the days of the miserable are sorrowful; but for the one with a cheerful heart there is always a feast. In verses 8–9 the Sacred Writers express a thought that is repeated often: that a necessary condition for sacrifice, prayer, and all external worship to be pleasing to God is a pure moral disposition and sincere attitude of the human heart, whereas in the absence of these conditions, sacrifices and prayers are detestable to God (Prov 21:27; Isa 1:11; Jer 6:20; Hos 5:6; Amos 5:21-22 and others). God loves only those who seek righteousness, and He turns away from the wicked and those who despise wisdom, and they face destruction (v. 9–10). To prevent evil deeds and even unclean thoughts, a person must always remember God’s omniscience, before which are open the regions inaccessible to human sight: the underworld, the abyss (Hebrew sheol) and destruction (Hebrew Abaddon) (v. 11), that is, the realm of destruction and death (compare Prov 27:20; Job 26:6); in the Apocalypse the name Abaddon, or in Greek Apollyon (meaning destroyer), is given to the angel who is king of the abyss (Rev 11:9). All the more open to God’s omniscience are all the secrets of the human heart (compare Ps 11:1). Further, several moral and psychological traits are indicated in the characterization of the wise and the wicked (v. 13–15).

Proverbs 15:16. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. Proverbs 15:17. Better is a dish of herbs with love than a fattened ox with hatred. Proverbs 15:18. A quick-tempered person stirs up strife, but the patient one brings peace to disputes. Proverbs 15:19. The way of the lazy is like a thorny hedge, but the way of the righteous is smooth. Proverbs 15:20. A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish person despises his mother. Proverbs 15:21. Folly is a joy to the senseless, but the person of understanding walks a straight path. Proverbs 15:22. Without counsel plans fall through, but with many advisors they succeed. Proverbs 15:23. Joy comes to a person from his own response, and how good is a word spoken at the right time! Proverbs 15:24. The way of life for the wise is upward, to turn away from the underworld below. Proverbs 15:25. The Lord will tear down the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow. Proverbs 15:26. An abomination to the Lord are the thoughts of the wicked, but the words of the blameless are pleasing to Him. Proverbs 15:27. The greedy person brings ruin to his own house, but whoever hates bribes will live. Proverbs 15:28. The heart of the righteous considers its response, while the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.– “Proverbs 15. Prov.15:28a. –[Pleasant to the Lord are the ways of the righteous; through them even enemies become friends.]” Proverbs 15:29. The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:30. A bright look gladdens the heart, good news fattens the bones. Proverbs 15:31. An ear that listens to instruction for life remains among the wise. Proverbs 15:32. The one who rejects instruction does not care for his own soul; but whoever listens to correction gains understanding. Proverbs 15:33. The fear of the Lord teaches wisdom, and before glory comes humility. The superiority of moral goods, peace, and love over material abundance joined with the absence of the fear of God and hatred of one’s neighbor is shown (v. 16–17, compare Ps 36:16); in connection with this, quarrelsomeness is condemned and peaceableness is praised (v. 18, compare Prov 26:21), and the harm of idleness and the benefit of diligence and courage are demonstrated (v. 19). Then the often-repeated thought is given that children, wise or unwise, are a source of pride or grief for their parents (v. 20, compare Prov 10:1); the difference is indicated, from the perspective of appropriateness, between the paths of the wise and the wicked (v. 21), and the benefit of the advice of many wise people is emphasized (v. 22, compare Prov 11:14) as well as the power of well-considered speech (v. 23). Then the conduct of the true sage is illuminated by the higher light of faith in the afterlife (v. 24. compare Prov 11:7), and in earthly life his characteristics are distinguished: traits of his internal disposition (thoughts and words, v. 26, incorruptibility, v. 27, prayer, v. 29, attentiveness to the lessons of wisdom, v. 32–32, and especially the fear of God, v. 33) and his external earthly lot, which is opposite to the fate of the wicked (v. 25, 27, 30).