Proverbs 15:5 (DRB)

Passage

A fool laugheth at the instruction of his father: but he that regardeth reproofs shall become prudent. In abundant justice there is the greatest strength: but the devices of the wicked shall be rooted out.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord in every place behold the good and the evil.

Proverbs 15:4 A peaceable tongue is a tree of life: but that which is immoderate, shall crush the spirit.

Proverbs 15:5 A fool laugheth at the instruction of his father: but he that regardeth reproofs shall become prudent. In abundant justice there is the greatest strength: but the devices of the wicked shall be rooted out.

Proverbs 15:6 The house of the just is very much strength: and in the fruits of the wicked is trouble.

Proverbs 15:7 The lips of the wise shall disperse knowledge: the heart of fools shall be unlike.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "fool", "laugheth", "instruction", "father", "regardeth", "reproofs", "shall", and "become". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "fool" and "laugheth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "A peaceable tongue is a tree of..." into verse 6's "The house of the just is very...", so "fool" and "laugheth" 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 "fool" and "laugheth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.