Proverbs 15 · The Lantern

A Gentle Answer Turns Away Wrath

A soft answer turns back rage, but a word of pain raises anger.

Receive into thy ears the teaching of the great Solomon: God hates the poor man to be a pleader on high. [Prov. 23:11] Therefore submit thyself, and give honour to Him that is powerful; for the soft speech-thou knowest the proverb-melts. [Prov. 15:1] One is conquered by service, even although there be an ancient anger.

A hermit said, 'Ask God to give you inner grief of heart and humility. Always look at your own sins, and do not judge another's. Be the servant of all. Do not make friends with a woman, or a boy or a heretic. Do not be self-confident. Control your tongue and appetite, and do not drink wine. If anyone speaks to you on a controversial matter, do not argue with him.

If you seek an example of justice, fortitude, prudence, purity, Scripture proposes becoming examples of every virtue. For virtue consists in concrete doings, wherefore interior guidelines are not enough unless they are accompanied by a concrete example. Hence Scripture gives both. As a rule against anger, it offers: A mild answer calms wrath.

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge good, but the mouth of fools pours out folly.

In every place are the eyes of the LORD, watching the evil and the good.

A healing tongue is a tree of life, but crookedness in it is a breaking of the spirit.

A stubborn fool spurns his father’s discipline, but one who keeps a rebuke is shrewd.

In the house of the righteous is much store, but in the produce of the wicked is trouble.

The lips of the wise scatter knowledge, but the heart of fools is not so.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his favor.

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves one who pursues righteousness.

Evil discipline is for one who forsakes the path; one who hates rebuke will die.

Sheol and Abaddon are before the LORD — how much more the hearts of the sons of man!

A scoffer does not love one who rebukes him; he will not go to the wise.

A glad heart makes the face good, but by pain of heart the spirit is stricken.

The heart of the understanding one seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools grazes on folly.

All the days of the afflicted are evil, but a good heart is a feast continually.

Better a little with the fear of the LORD than a great treasure and confusion with it.

Better a meal of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

"Herbs with love are better than a fatted calf with deceit." This is reminiscent of what we said before, that herbs are not the Agape, but that meals should be taken with charity. A middle course is good in all things, and no less so in serving a banquet. Extremes, in fact, are dangerous, but the mean is good, and all that avoids dire need is a mean.

But you should be content with your own possessions and not feed on the losses of others. The good food is the simplicity of innocence. Having their own good, they do not know how to lay traps for others, nor do they burn with the flames of greed, for whom every gain is a loss to virtue and an inflaming desire.

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, etc. Everyone who shows examples of good works to others, which they may imitate, invites them as to a feast by which they are refreshed.

A man of rage stirs up strife, but one slow to anger quiets a quarrel.

The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

In this number are those whom Wisdom calls the "slothful ones," who bestrew their "way" with "thorns"; who think it a moral loss to be anxious about keeping the commandments; who erase from their own minds the Apostolic teaching, and instead of eating the bread of their own honest earning fix on that of others, and make their idleness itself into an art of living.

"The ways of those who do not work are strewn with thorns, but the ways of the strong are trodden down." Thus wandering from the king's highway, they can never arrive at that metropolis to which our course should ever be directed without swerving.

The way of the just is without stumbling. For indeed the just, in their conduct, whatever adversity confronts them, do not stumble, because they overcome the obstacles of temporal adversity by the leap of eternal hope and inner contemplation.

A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother.

Folly is gladness to one who lacks heart, but a man of insight walks straight.

Plans are broken where there is no counsel, but in a multitude of counselors they stand.

A man has gladness in the answer of his mouth, and a word in its time — how good!

The path of life is upward for one who acts with good sense, so as to turn from Sheol below.

The LORD tears down the house of the proud, but he sets up the boundary of the widow.

Thoughts of evil are an abomination to the LORD, but sayings of pleasantness are pure.

One who gains unjust gain troubles his house, but one who hates gifts will live.

The heart of the righteous murmurs to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evils.

The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

The light of the eyes makes the heart glad; a good report makes the bones fat.

An ear that hears the rebuke of life will lodge among the wise.

One who lets go of discipline rejects his own soul, but one who hears a rebuke acquires heart.

The fear of the LORD is the discipline of wisdom, and before honor is humility.

Proverbs15

A Gentle Answer Turns Away Wrath