New King James Version
Proverbs 15:1
1A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
- New International Version (NIV)A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- English Standard Version (ESV)A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- New Living Translation (NLT)A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
Context of Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. 2The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. 3The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.
Read all of Proverbs 15Proverbs 15:1 word by word
מַֽעֲנֶה־רַּ֭ךְ יָשִׁ֣יב חֵמָ֑ה וּדְבַר־עֶ֝֗צֶב יַעֲלֶה־אָֽף׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 15:1
- Proverbs 15:18A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention.
- Proverbs 10:12Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.
- Proverbs 28:25He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.
- Proverbs 29:22An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression.
- Judges 12:3So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”
- 1 Samuel 25:10Then Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master.
- 2 Samuel 19:43And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise us—were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
- 1 Kings 12:13Then the king answered the people roughly, and rejected the advice which the elders had given him;
Commentaries on Proverbs 15:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1A soft answer - Gentleness will often disarm the most furious, where positive derangement has not taken place; one angry word will always beget another, for the disposition of one spirit always begets its own likeness in another: thus kindness produces kindness, and rage produces rage. Universal experience confirms this proverb.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Verse 1 A right cause will be better pleaded with meekness than with passion. Nothing stirs up anger like grievous words.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Controlling emotions and matching them to the situation helps others listen without reacting.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-33Pr 15:1-33. 1. soft--tender or gentle. turneth ... wrath--from any one. stir up--as a smouldering fire is excited.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 15:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries