Proverbs 15:1

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 King James Version (NKJV)A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Context of Proverbs 15:1

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. 2The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness. 3The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.

Proverbs 15:1 word by word

מַֽעֲנֶה־רַּ֭ךְ יָשִׁ֣יב חֵמָ֑ה וּדְבַר־עֶ֝֗צֶב יַעֲלֶה־אָֽף׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A softרַךְrak · tenderH7390
• answerמַעֲנֶהma‛ăneh · answerH4617
• turnethשׁוּבshûb · to return: turn backH7725
• away wrathחֵמָהchêmâh chêmâ' · rageH2534
• but grievousעֶ֫צֶב‛etseb · toilH6089
• wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• stir upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: establishH5927
• angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639

Cross-references for Proverbs 15:1

• Proverbs 15:18A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.
• Proverbs 10:12Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses.
• Proverbs 28:25Greed causes fighting; trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.
• Proverbs 29:22An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.
• Judges 12:3So when I realized you weren’t coming, I risked my life and went to battle without you, and the Lord gave me victory over the Ammonites. So why have you now come to fight me?”
• 1 Samuel 25:10“Who is this fellow David?” Nabal sneered to the young men. “Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters.
• 2 Samuel 19:43“But there are ten tribes in Israel,” the others replied. “So we have ten times as much right to the king as you do. What right do you have to treat us with such contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing him back to be our king again?” The argument continued back and forth, and the men of Judah spoke even more harshly than the men of Israel.
• 1 Kings 12:13But Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors

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

• Anger
• Meekness
• Speaking
• Tact

In the dictionaries

• Abomination
• Cheerful
• Continual
• Countenance
• Disappoint
• Disperse
• Feast
• Grievous
• Humility
• Poetry

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