21 Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, But a man of understanding keeps his way straight.
It is a fool's pleasure to do wickedness, But wisdom is a man of understanding's pleasure.
Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise;
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, But a man of understanding holds his peace.
A wise man fears, and shuns evil, But the fool is hotheaded and reckless.
Like a madman who shoots firebrands, arrows, and death, Is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "Am I not joking?"
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 15
Commentary on Proverbs 15 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
We take these verses together as forming a group which begins with a proverb regarding the good and evil which flows from the tongue, and closes with a proverb regarding the treasure in which blessing is found, and that in which no blessing is found.
Proverbs 15:1
1 A soft answer turneth away wrath,
And a bitter word stirreth up anger.
In the second line, the common word for anger ( אף , from the breathing with the nostrils, Proverbs 14:17) is purposely placed, but in the first, that which denotes anger in the highest degree ( חמה from יחם , cogn. חמם , Arab. hamiya , to glow, like שׁנה from ישׁן ): a mild, gentle word turns away the heat of anger ( excandescentiam ), puts it back, cf. Proverbs 25:15. The Dagesh in רּך follows the rule of the דחיק , i.e. , of the close connection of a word terminating with the accented eh, aah, ah with the following word ( Michlol 63b). The same is the meaning of the Latin proverb:
Frangitur ira gravis
Quando est responsio suavis