< Proverbs 15 >
1 When people are angry with you, reply to them gently, and it will calm them; but if you reply harshly to them, it causes them to become more angry.
2 When wise [people] speak [MTY], it causes those who hear what they say to want to know more; foolish people continually say [MTY] what is foolish.
3 Yahweh sees [MTY] [what is happening] everywhere; he observes what bad [people do] as well as what good [people do].
4 Those who speak [MTY] kindly to people are [like] [MET] trees [whose fruit gives] life; speaking what is false causes people to (despair/feel very discouraged).
5 Foolish children despise their parents when their parents correct/discipline them; wise children accept it.
6 There are many valuable things in the houses of righteous [people]; the wealth of wicked [people] causes them to have troubles/difficulties.
7 What wise [people] teach [MTY] causes others to know much more, [but] foolish people cannot teach others what is useful.
8 Yahweh detests the sacrifices that are offered by wicked [people]; what delights/pleases him very much are the prayers of righteous/good [people].
9 Yahweh hates/detests the behavior of wicked [people], but he loves those who always do what is righteous/just/fair.
10 Those who do what is wrong will be severely punished; those who do not want to be corrected will die.
11 Yahweh knows [what is happening in] the place where dead people [DOU] are, so he certainly knows [RHQ] what people are thinking. (Sheol )
12 Some people do not want to be corrected; they never go to wise [people to seek good advice from them].
13 When people are happy, they have smiles on their faces; but when they are sad, [by looking at their faces we can see that] they are sad.
14 Those who have good sense want to learn more; foolish people [MTY] are very satisfied with being foolish/ignorant.
15 Those who are oppressed constantly have difficulties, but those who (OR, if they) are happy, [it is as though] [MET] they are having a big feast every day.
16 Being poor and revering Yahweh is better than being rich and having a lot of troubles.
17 Eating meals with [people whom you] love and having only vegetables to eat is better than eating with [people who] hate [each other and] having lots of good meat [to eat].
18 Those who quickly become angry cause arguments/quarreling, but those who do not quickly become angry cause people to act peacefully.
19 Lazy people constantly [have difficulties] [MET]; [it is as though they are] walking through thorns; but those who are honest and hard-working [will have few difficulties; it is as though they are walking] on a level highway [MET].
20 Children who are wise cause their parents to be happy; it is foolish children who despise their parents.
21 Foolish people are happy to [continually] act foolishly; those who have good sense do what is right.
22 If there is no one to give us good advice, we will not accomplish what we are planning to do; but when we have many [good] advisors, we will succeed.
23 People rejoice when they are able to reply well to what others have asked them; [truly], it is very delightful to be able to say the right thing at the right time.
24 Wise people walk on a road that leads up to a long life; they do not walk on a road that leads down to the place where dead people are. (Sheol )
25 Yahweh tears down the houses of proud [people], but he protects the property of widows.
26 Yahweh detests what wicked [people] are thinking [about doing]; [but] when people say what is kind, he considers those words to be pure.
27 Those who try hard to get money by acting dishonestly cause trouble for their family; those who refuse to accept bribes will live [for a long time].
28 Righteous/Good [people] think carefully before they answer [what others ask them]; wicked [people] very quickly say what is evil.
29 Yahweh does not listen [MTY] to what wicked [people request him to do]; he listens to righteous [people] when they pray.
30 If people have a smile on their faces, it makes them/others happy, and [when people hear] good news, it refreshes their spirits [MTY].
31 If people pay attention when [people] correct/warn them, they will become wise.
32 If people refuse to listen [when others try] to correct them, they are despising/hurting themselves; those who (pay attention/heed) when [others] warn them (become wiser/acquire good sense).
33 If you revere Yahweh, you will learn how to become wise, but [only] after you become humble will [people] honor you.
