ch 15
v.1 A gentle response turns away anger,
but a harsh word stirs up wrath.
gentle response vs harsh word: Someone has already said something, how do you response? It must be a tense situation and therefore the conversation has a potential of blowing up anger. (NET) A common response to painful words is to let one’s temper flare up.
(BKC) A gentle (lit., “soft”) answer can dispel a potentially tense situation by dissolving a person’s wrath (ḥēmâh, “rage”). Being conciliatory in such a situation requires forethought, patience, self-control, and kindness, virtues commonly lauded in Proverbs. A harsh (lit., “hurtful”) word, by contrast, arouses rather than dissolves anger.
Summary and reflection: If I always response anger with more anger, then I am a foolish person without patient and self-control.
v.2 The tongue of the wise treats knowledge correctly,
but the mouth of the fool spouts out folly.
“tongue of the wise” vs “mouth of the fool:” (NET) Both expressions are metonymies of cause; the subject matter is what they say. How wise people are can be determined from what they say.
“makes knowledge acceptable” (so NASB). (NET) The verb תֵּיטִיב (tetiv, Hiphil imperfect of יָטַב [yatav, “to be good”]) can be translated “to make good” or “to treat in a good [or, excellent] way” (BKC) The wise not only possess knowledge but also their use of it makes it attractive and desirable.
spouts out (NET) “to pour out; to emit; to cause to bubble; to belch forth.” (BKC) His many words, bubbling out like water from a spring, show how foolish he is
Summary and Reflection: My speech reflects my heart's condition: whether I am wise or not and whether I am skillful in using my knowledge to make it attractive or not. My manner of speaking (bubbling out) or my excessive of speaking will not make up for my lack of wisdom. In contrast, it only bring my foolishness in bright light.
Bottom line: Before I speak, make sure I have wise thing to say and say it in a way that other people will find it attractive.
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