Mark My Words

¹A soft answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

²The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,

but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

³The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

keeping watch on the evil and the good.

⁴A gentle1 tongue is a tree of life,

but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

⁵A fool despises his father's instruction,

but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

⁶In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,

but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

⁷The lips of the wise spread knowledge;

not so the hearts of fools.2

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

⁹The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

but he loves him who pursues righteousness.

¹⁰There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;

whoever hates reproof will die.

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;

how much more the hearts of the children of man!

¹²A scoffer does not like to be reproved;

he will not go to the wise.

¹³A glad heart makes a cheerful face,

but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

¹⁴The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,

but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are evil,

but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.

¹⁶Better is a little with the fear of the Lord

than great treasure and trouble with it.

¹⁷Better is a dinner of herbs where love is

than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

¹⁸A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

¹⁹The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,

but the path of the upright is a level highway.

²⁰A wise son makes a glad father,

but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,

but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.

²²Without counsel plans fail,

but with many advisers they succeed.

²³To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,

and a word in season, how good it is!

²⁴The path of life leads upward for the prudent,

that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.

²⁵The Lord tears down the house of the proud

but maintains the widow's boundaries.

²⁶The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,

but gracious words are pure.

²⁷Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,

but he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

²⁹The Lord is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

and good news refreshes3 the bones.

³¹The ear that listens to life-giving reproof

will dwell among the wise.

³²Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,

but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

³³The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.