Proverbs 15:15–30

¹⁵All the days of the poor are hard,

but goodness of heart^m is a continuous feast.

¹⁶Better is little with the fear of Yahweh

than great treasure and trouble with it.ⁿ

¹⁷Better is a dinner of vegetables when^o love is there

than a fattened ox and hatred with it.^p

¹⁸A man who is hot-tempered will stir up strife,

but he who is slow to anger,^q he will calm contention.

¹⁹The way of the lazy is like a hedge of thorns,^r

but the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A child of wisdom will make a father glad,

but a foolish person,^s he despises his mother.

²¹Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,^t

and a person of understanding will walk upright.^u

²²Plans go wrong when there is no counsel,

but with many advisors it will succeed.

²³Joy belongs to a man with answers in his mouth,

and a word in its time, how good it is!

²⁴The path of life leads upward for him who has insight,

in order to turn away from Sheol below.

²⁵The house of the proud, Yahweh will tear it down,

but he will maintain the property line^v of the widow.

²⁶Plans of evil are an abomination of Yahweh,

but gracious words are pure.

²⁷He who makes trouble for his house is he who is greedy for unjust gain,

but he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸A heart^w of righteousness will ponder the answer,

but a mouth of wickedness will pour out deceit.

²⁹Yahweh is far from the wicked,

but the prayers of the righteous he will hear.

³⁰From the light of the eyes, the heart^x will rejoice,

and good news will enliven the bones.^y