Proverbs 15:1
in Proverbs 15A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
A soft answer turneth away wrath; But a grievous word stirreth up anger.
KJV
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
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This verse in Proverbs 15
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
A gentle answer turns away wrath
on Proverbs 15:1-2
A soft answer turns wrath rather than merely surviving it, and the proverb credits the gentle word with real power over an angry man. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge with intention, weighing a word before releasing it, while a fool's mouth pours out whatever is inside him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
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 …
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
Poemen said, 'If a man sins and denies it, saying, "I have not sinned," do not correct him, or you will destroy any intention he might have of changing. If you say, "Do not be cast down, my brother, but be careful about that in …
But our Lord bestowed the most part of His helps rather by persuasion than by reproof. For the gentle shower softens the earth and penetrates all through it: but violent rain binds and hardens the face of the earth, so that it does not receive …
A commentator
John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 15:1 · Written before 407.
proposed
"Anger even ruins the prudent: a soft answer turns away anger, but a painful word arouses rage." All things depend on our decision, certainly also to raise anger or to soothe. It is not the Lord who gets angry, but it is in our power to cause his anger or the opposite. And if anger even ruins the prudent, how much more will it ruin those about whom it was said [that] anger destroys the imprudent? And this certainly happens also to the prudent because of some negligence. But "a soft answer turns away anger," that is, a way of answering in open humility and without any harshness.
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 …
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 17 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
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 …
A soft answer turns away wrath, etc. He who humbly receives words of reproach already approaches pardon for the guilt he carried; but he who arrogantly resists reproach, provokes greater wrath from the strict judge.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
A soft answer turneth away wrath,.... Mild words, gentle expressions, delivered with kindness and tenderness, humility and submission; these will work upon a man's passions, weaken his resentments, and break and scatter the storm of wrath raised in his breast, just breaking forth in a very boisterous and blustering manner; so high winds are sometimes laid by soft showers.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A 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.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַֽעֲנֶה־ | maaneh- | an answer | H4617 → | 7 times |
| רַּ֭ךְ | rakh | soft | H7390 → | 16 times |
| יָשִׁ֣יב | yashiv | it turns away | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| חֵמָ֑ה | chemah | rage | H2534 → | 125 times |
| וּדְבַר־ | udevar- | and a word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| עֶ֝֗צֶב | ʾetzev | hurt | H6089 → | 7 times |
| יַעֲלֶה־ | yaaleh- | it raises | H5927 → | 890 times |
| אָֽף׃ | ʾaf | anger | H639 → | 276 times |
מַֽעֲנֶה־an answer
maaneh-H4617 →7 times
רַּ֭ךְsoft
rakhH7390 →16 times
יָשִׁ֣יבit turns away
yashivH7725 →1056 times
חֵמָ֑הrage
chemahH2534 →125 times
וּדְבַר־and a word of
udevar-H1697 →1440 times
עֶ֝֗צֶבhurt
ʾetzevH6089 →7 times
יַעֲלֶה־it raises
yaaleh-H5927 →890 times
אָֽף׃anger
ʾafH639 →276 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 10:12Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4–7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- Proverbs 17:9
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
- 1 Peter 4:8
Through
Proverbs 15:18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
it leads to
- Proverbs 26:21
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ecclesiastes 10:4
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
- Proverbs 26:21
Through
Proverbs 29:22An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 15:18
Through
Proverbs 28:25A greedy man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.
it leads to
- Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 10:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
About Proverbs
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 17; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Commodian, On Christian Discipline, LXXII; Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks; Ephrem the Syrian, HOMILY ON OUR LORD 22:3; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 15:1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.