# Proverbs 15.3

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Proverbs](/codex/proverbs/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 1. A soft answer turneth away wrath; But a grievous word stirreth up anger. 2. The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright; But the mouth of fools poureth out folly.
>
> **3. The eyes of Jehovah are in every place, Keeping watch upon the evil and the good.**
>
> 4. A gentle tongue is a tree of life; But perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit. 5. A fool despiseth his father's correction; But he that regardeth reproof getteth prudence. (Proverbs 15:1-5, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 1. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. 2. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly.
>
> **3. Yahweh’s eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.**
>
> 4. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit. 5. A fool despises his father’s correction, but he who heeds reproof shows prudence. (Proverbs 15:1-5, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 1. A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. <sup>poureth: Heb. belcheth, or, bubbleth</sup>
>
> **3. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.**
>
> 4. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. <sup>A wholesome: Heb. The healing of the tongue</sup> 5. A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. (Proverbs 15:1-5, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 1. A soft answer turneth back fury, And a grievous word raiseth up anger. 2. The tongue of the wise maketh knowledge good, And the mouth of fools uttereth folly.
>
> **3. In every place are the eyes of Jehovah, Watching the evil and the good.**
>
> 4. A healed tongue [is] a tree of life, And perverseness in it, a breach in the spirit. 5. A fool despiseth the instruction of his father, And whoso is regarding reproof is prudent. (Proverbs 15:1-5, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

<!-- BACKLINKS:START -->
## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from the Demand to Be Witnessed](/codex/argument-from-the-demand-to-be-witnessed/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->
---

_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.
