--- title: "Proverbs 15 - Study King James Bible with the church pulpit commentary" description: "Read Proverbs 15 with the church pulpit commentary commentary. 1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out" image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15" --- [ Read](/kjv/proverbs/15)[ Commentary](/study/proverbs/15)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/proverbs/15) Audio 1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.* 3 The eyes of the LORD *are* in every place, beholding the evil and the good. 4 A wholesome tongue *is* a tree of life: but perverseness therein *is* a breach in the spirit.* 5 A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. 6 In the house of the righteous *is* much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. 7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish *doeth* not so. 8 The sacrifice of the wicked *is* an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright *is* his delight. 9 The way of the wicked *is* an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. 10 Correction *is* grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: *and* he that hateth reproof shall die.* 11 Hell and destruction *are* before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? 12 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise. 13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. 14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. 15 All the days of the afflicted *are* evil: but he that is of a merry heart *hath* a continual feast. 16 Better *is* little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith. 17 Better *is* a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. 18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but *he that is* slow to anger appeaseth strife. 19 The way of the slothful *man is* as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous *is* made plain.* 20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother. 21 Folly *is* joy to *him that is* destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.* 22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established. 23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word *spoken* in due season, how good *is it*!* 24 The way of life *is* above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. 25 The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow. 26 The thoughts of the wicked *are* an abomination to the LORD: but *the words* of the pure *are* pleasant words.* 27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live. 28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. 29 The LORD *is* far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. 30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: *and* a good report maketh the bones fat. 31 The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. 32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.*** 33 The fear of the LORD *is* the instruction of wisdom; and before honour *is* humility. [Proverbs 14](/study/proverbs/14) [Proverbs 16](/study/proverbs/16) ## Commentary To verse 1 *THE POWER OF A SOFT ANSWER* **‘A soft answer turneth away wrath.’** ** [Proverbs 15:1](/kjv/proverbs/15/1)** ****I. It is a very hard thing to live though a month without being unkind or angry.**—Calm and sweet tempers are rare; and perhaps we may say, without disparaging their value or their beauty, that it is not to these to which we naturally look for the most conspicuous services in the cause of God. Their province is to heal, to calm, to sweeten life; but perhaps it is in more fiery—yes, and more turbulent natures, that we must expect the initiative in works of good. **II. ‘A soft answer turneth away wrath.’**—Some provocation is presupposed; some one has, or fancies he has, a grievance. Such grievances must arise in our common life. In this sense, ‘it must be that offences come.’ What an opening there is here for our putting in practice Solomon’s wise and truly Christian proverb: ‘A soft answer turneth away wrath.’ **III. If there be such happiness in a soft answer, how is it that it is so hard to give it?**—There is one great obstacle to which all others may be reduced—the obstacle of pride. When harsh words are addressed to us which we feel to be unmerited, we cannot bring ourselves to forgo the delight of a successful retort, still less can we bear to admit that any part of the wrong is of our doing. Pride disguises itself very cunningly, so that even a high-minded Christian is misled by its craft. **IV. Remember the blessing pronounced on the peacemakers.**—No man ever repented the endeavour to rekindle ‘quietness, peace, and love’ among friends who ought never to have been parted. —Rev. Dr. H. M. Butler. **Illustration** ‘This is the chapter of passionate temper; it speaks of the grievous word that stirs up anger ( [Proverbs 15:1](/kjv/proverbs/15/1)), of the perverseness that breaks the spirit ( [Proverbs 15:4](/kjv/proverbs/15/4)), of the contention stirred up by wrath ( [Proverbs 15:18](/kjv/proverbs/15/18)). However peaceful a family or community may be, it is remarkable how soon a conflagration will break out if a man of a quarrelsome and contentious spirit is introduced. The passionate man is often led to say and do things which, in his sober mind, he bitterly regrets. Let us keep clear of people of passionate dispositions, and give them a wide berth, asking the Lord to give us meek and quiet spirits, which act strongly and decisively on occasions when wrong is being perpetrated, but without the heat of selfish passion.’ ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","width":672,"height":448,"caption":"Real Bible Believers"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15","name":"Proverbs 15 - Study King James Bible with the church pulpit commentary","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15#primaryimage"},"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"Read Proverbs 15 with the church pulpit commentary commentary. 1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","name":"Study Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary","name":"the church pulpit commentary"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs","name":"Proverbs"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-church-pulpit-commentary/proverbs/15","name":"15"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]} ```