Proverbs 15:31 (DRB)

Passage

The ear that heareth the reproofs of life, shall abide in the midst of the wise.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:29 The Lord is far from the wicked: and he will hear the prayers of the just.

Proverbs 15:30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the soul: a good name maketh the bones fat.

Proverbs 15:31 The ear that heareth the reproofs of life, shall abide in the midst of the wise.

Proverbs 15:32 He that rejecteth instruction, despiseth his own soul: but he that yieldeth to reproof, possesseth understanding.

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord is the lesson of wisdom: and humility goeth before glory.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "heareth", "reproofs", "life", "shall", "abide", "midst", and "wise". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "heareth" and "reproofs", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 30's "The light of the eyes rejoiceth the..." into verse 32's "He that rejecteth instruction despiseth his own...", so "heareth" and "reproofs" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "heareth" and "reproofs" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.