Ecclesiastes 7:9
in Ecclesiastes 7Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
KJV
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 7
Commentary
11 notes on this verse"Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the lap of fools. "He does not grant here that anger should be tempered, therefore he now says, "Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry"; but that when anger is mad and new, it is more easily tempered because it is dispersed easily and can be removed.
This site's exposition
The end of a matter is better than the beginning
on Ecclesiastes 7:8-10
The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one. The counsel against quick anger follows, for anger settles in the lap of a fool. The question Why were the old days better than these is called unwise.
This site's exposition
Do not be quickly provoked
Henry traces quick anger to impatience with delay. Clarke grants that anger may touch a wise man, and it settles only in a fool, who keeps it until it turns to malice. Gregory the Great and Cassian teach that anger drives wisdom out of the heart.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The deadly poison of anger has to be utterly rooted out from the inmost corners of our soul. For as long as this remains in our hearts and blinds with its hurtful darkness the eye of the soul, we can neither acquire right judgment and discretion nor gain the insight which springs from an honest gaze, or ripeness of counsel. Nor can we be partakers of life, or retentive of righteousness, or even have the capacity for spiritual and true light, "for," says one, "mine eye is disturbed by reason of anger." Nor can we become partakers of wisdom, even though we are considered wise by universal consent, for "anger rests in the bosom of fools."
"Better is the end of a thing than the beginning; "Perorations are better in speaking, than just the introductory section. For worry comes to and end in the former, and commences in the latter. Or it could even mean this: he who begins to hear a speech, and goes to the teacher, is in first place. For indeed he who listens until the last is consumed and complete in learning.
The Medieval Church3 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Here the fourth lesson is touched upon, in which it is taught that anger is to be fled, because it does not stand well with constancy; therefore he says: "Be not swift to anger": James 1: "Let every man be swift to hear, slow to …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book 5, Section 78 · Written before 604.
proposed
We must above all things know, that as often as we restrain the turbulent motions of the mind under the virtue of mildness, we are essaying to return to the likeness of our Creator. For when the peace of the mind is lashed with Anger, torn and rent, as it were, it is thrown into confusion, so that it is not in harmony with itself, and loses the force of the inward likeness. Let us consider then how great the sin of Anger is, by which, while we part with mildness, the likeness of the image of the Most High is spoilt. By Anger wisdom is parted with, so that we are left wholly in ignorance what to do, and in what order to do it; as it is written, Anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
Further, through this vice of impatience for the most part the sin of arrogance pierces the mind; since, when any one is impatient of being looked down upon in this world, he endeavours to shew off any hidden good, that he may have, and so through impatience is drawn on to arrogance; and, while he cannot bear contempt, he glories ostentatiously in self-display. Whence it is written, Better is the patient than the arrogant; because, in truth, one that is patient chooses to suffer any evils whatever rather than that his hidden good should come to be known through the vice of ostentation. But the arrogant, on the contrary, chooses that even pretended good should be vaunted of him, lest he should possibly suffer even the least evil.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; those that are hasty in their expectations, and cannot brook delays, are apt to be angry if they be not immediately gratified.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Anger resteth in the bosom of fools - A wise man, off his guard, may feel it for a moment: but in him it cannot rest: it is a fire which he immediately casts out of his breast. But the fool - the man who is under the dominion of his own tempers, harbors and fosters it, till it takes the form of malice, and then excites him to seek full revenge on those whom he deems enemies. Hence that class of dangerous and empty fools called duellists.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Do not say, was it that the former days, etc. Do not wonder about the goodness that was bestowed upon the righteous men of yore, such as the generation of the wilderness, the generation of Yehoshua and the generation of Dovid.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
In the time of oppression, say not what was before now was good in the world; for the former days were better, and the men of that generation had better doings than these, therefore good came to them; and thou askest not according to wisdom about this.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 1 further source is cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תְּבַהֵ֥ל | tevahel | you be hasty | H926 → | 39 times |
| בְּרֽוּחֲךָ֖ | beruchakha | in spirit your | H7307 → | 378 times |
| לִכְע֑וֹס | likhos | to become angry | H3707 → | |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| כַ֔עַס | khaas | anger | H3708 → | 25 times |
| בְּחֵ֥יק | becheik | in [the] bosom of | H2436 → | |
| כְּסִילִ֖ים | kesilim | fools | H3684 → | 70 times |
| יָנֽוּחַ׃ | yanuach | it settles | H5117 → | 142 times |
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תְּבַהֵ֥לyou be hasty
tevahelH926 →39 times
בְּרֽוּחֲךָ֖in spirit your
beruchakhaH7307 →378 times
לִכְע֑וֹסto become angry
likhosH3707 →
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
כַ֔עַסanger
khaasH3708 →25 times
בְּחֵ֥יקin [the] bosom of
becheikH2436 →
כְּסִילִ֖יםfools
kesilimH3684 →70 times
יָנֽוּחַ׃it settles
yanuachH5117 →142 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 1:19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
it leads to
- Proverbs 14:29
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 17:27
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
- Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
- Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- Proverbs 18:13
He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
- Proverbs 14:29
Through
Proverbs 16:32He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
it leads to
- James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 25:28
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.
- James 1:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
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About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book 5, Section 78; Gregory the Dialogist, Pastoral Rule, Part 3, Chapter 9; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Cassian, INSTITUTES 8:1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.