Gentle tongue (Prov 15:1-15:4)

“A soft answer turns away wrath.

But a harsh word stirs up anger.

The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge.

But the mouths of fools pour out folly.

The eyes of Yahweh are in every place.

They keep watch on the evil.

They keep watch on the good.

A gentle tongue is a tree of life.

But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”

A gentile tongue or being soft spoken is the tree of life. A soft spoken person can often turn away an angry person. On the other hand, a harsh bellicose person actually stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise with his words dispenses knowledge to all. However, the mouth of a fool pours out folly and foolishness. We have to remember that Yahweh sees everything with his eyes. He keeps watch over all the good and the bad evil also. Perverse behavior breaks the spirit, while the gentile words are the source of life.

Hope and knowledge (Prov 13:12-13:19)

“Hope deferred

Makes the heart sick.

But a desire fulfilled

Is a tree of life.

Whoever despises the word

Brings destruction on themselves.

But whoever respects the commandment

Will be rewarded.

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life.

Thus one may avoid the snares of death.

Good sense wins favor.

But the way of the faithless is their ruin.

The clever do all things intelligently.

But the fool displays folly.

A bad messenger brings trouble.

But a faithful envoy brings healing.

Poverty and disgrace come to

Whoever ignores instruction.

But whoever heeds reproof is honored.

A desire realized

Is sweet to the soul.

But to turn away from evil

Is an abomination to fools.”

When hope is deferred, it brings on sickness. However, when a desire is fulfilled, the tree of life grows more. If you despise the word or commandment of God, you will bring on your own destruction. If you respect the commandments, then you will be rewarded. Listen to the teachings of the wise ones because they are fountain of life to help you avoid the snares of death. Good sense will win you favors, while the faithless way leads to ruin. The clever smart ones do everything intelligently, while the fools tend to be foolish. It is better to be a good messenger than a bad messenger because that will bring healing to people. If you ignore instruction, you will end up poor and in disgrace. If you follow instructions, you will be honored. Realizing your dreams and hopes is sweet. The problem is that the evil ones have a hard time turning away from evil since they are so attracted to it.

The results of actions (Prov 11:29-11:31)

“Those who trouble their household with disorder,

They will inherit wind.

The fool will be a servant to the wise.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.

But violence takes away lives.

If the righteous are repaid on earth,

How much more will the wicked and the sinners!”

There are consequences to your actions. If you leave your household troubled and disordered, they will inherit nothing but the wind. The fool will turn out to be the servant of the wise one. The fruit of the righteous is the tree of life, the symbol of immortality. Violence takes away life. Thus if the righteous are repaid here on earth, how much more will the wicked and sinners be repaid.