Proverbs 14:29
in Proverbs 14A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
KJV
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
⋯
This verse in Proverbs 14
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThat is hasty of spirit - קצר רוח ketsar ruach, “the short of spirit;” one that is easily irritated; and, being in a passion, he is agitated so as to be literally short of breath. Here put in opposition to ארך אפים erech appayim, long of nostrils; see on Pro 14:17 (note); and of the same import with St. Paul’s μακροθυμια, longsuffering, longmindedness. See on Eph 4:2 (note).
This site's exposition
In the multitude of people is the king’s honour
on Proverbs 14:28-30
A king's honour is counted in people rather than territory, so an empty land is a prince's ruin even where his throne still stands. Patience is named great understanding and haste is named folly's own promotion, the same contrast the chapter has already drawn between the wise and the confident fool. A sound heart gives life to the whole body, while envy works the opposite way, rotting the bones of the very man it burns in.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Everyone knows that patience is derived from passion and endurance and therefore that you cannot call anyone patient unless he endures indignities without annoyance. So Solomon rightly praised the patient person: "Better is the patient man than the strong, and he who restrains his anger more than he that takes a city," and "A long-suffering man is mighty in prudence, but a fainthearted man is very foolish." Therefore, if a wronged man flares up in anger, the wrongful abuse should not be thought of as the cause of his sin but the manifestation of a hidden weakness.
A commentator
John ChrysostomON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 19:5 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
Do you not see the athletes, how they exercise when they have filled the bags with sand? But there is no need for you to practice this. Life is full of things that exercise you and make you strong.… For it is said, "One who is long-suffering abounds in wisdom, but he who is small of soul is strongly foolish."
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 23 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
In the third place, it is fitting that there be a victorious bearing of worldly tribulations. Indeed, the man who assumes them must prepare himself for suffering. Wherefore Christ overturned the tables in His zeal. Later, when they sought Him, He showed Himself. Hence, "the …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 9 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The second pillar of the house of wisdom is innocence in the mind, which is noted when James says: "then peaceable." Augustine says that "peace is the tranquility of order," namely, when one humbly subjects himself to a superior, conducts himself equably toward an equal, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Exalteth folly - Lifts it up, as it were, on high, and exposes it to the gaze of all men.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֶ֣רֶךְ | ʾerekh | a [person] long of | H750 → | 15 times |
| אַ֭פַּיִם | ʾapayim | anger<s> | H639 → | 276 times |
| רַב־ | rav- | great of | H7227 → | 454 times |
| תְּבוּנָ֑ה | tevunah | understanding | H8394 → | 42 times |
| וּקְצַר־ | uketzar- | and [a person] short of | H7116 → | |
| ר֝֗וּחַ | ruach | spirit | H7307 → | 378 times |
| מֵרִ֥ים | merim | [is] exalting | H7311 → | 190 times |
| אִוֶּֽלֶת׃ | ʾivelet | foolishness | H200 → | 25 times |
אֶ֣רֶךְa [person] long of
ʾerekhH750 →15 times
אַ֭פַּיִםanger<s>
ʾapayimH639 →276 times
רַב־great of
rav-H7227 →454 times
תְּבוּנָ֑הunderstanding
tevunahH8394 →42 times
וּקְצַר־and [a person] short of
uketzar-H7116 →
ר֝֗וּחַspirit
ruachH7307 →378 times
מֵרִ֥ים[is] exalting
merimH7311 →190 times
אִוֶּֽלֶת׃foolishness
ʾiveletH200 →25 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 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 13:3
He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
- Proverbs 17:27
Through
Proverbs 19:11A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.
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 3 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
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.
- James 1:19
About Proverbs
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 23; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 9; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 18:13; John Chrysostom, ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 19:5; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.