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Proverbs 14:17

in Proverbs 14

A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a devious man is hated.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

He that is soon angry will deal foolishly; And a man of wicked devices is hated.

KJV

He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

This verse in Proverbs 14

Commentary

6 notes on this verse
He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly,.... A man that is quick and short, of a hasty spirit, and presently discovers anger and resentment in his face; he says and does many foolish things, which he afterwards is sorry for, and repents, and is ashamed of; and he is to be pitied and forgiven; and a man of wicked devices is hated; one that hides his anger, covers his resentment, contrives schemes to revenge himself, and waits an opportunity to put them in execution, is justly hateful to God and men.

This site's exposition

A quick-tempered man acts foolishly

on Proverbs 14:17-18

“A quick-tempered man acts foolishly” before he thinks, and “a devious man is hated” for the same haste turned deliberate. “The simple inherit folly,” passed down to them by neglect, while “the prudent are crowned with knowledge” they work to wear.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Proverbs · Written before 735.

proposed

An impatient man works folly, etc. Certainly an impatient man is reprehensible, but far worse and more hateful to God is the cunning man, although he is considered better among men. For the former openly shows his folly to all, while the latter, in his …

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

He . . . angry--literally, "short of anger" (compare Pr 14:29, opposite idea). man . . . hated--that is, the deliberate evildoer is more hated than the rash.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

He that is soon angry - קצר אפים ketsar appayim, “short of nostrils:” because, when a man is angry, his nose is contracted, and drawn up towards his eyes. Dealeth foolishly - He has no time for reflection; he is hurried on by his passions, speaks like a fool, and acts like a madman.
The contrast lies between two forms of evil. Hasty anger acts foolishly, but the “man of wicked devices,” vindictive and insidious, incurs all men’s hatred.

The words behind it

7 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • קְֽצַר־[a person] short of

    ketzar-H7116 →

  • אַ֭פַּיִםanger<s>

    ʾapayimH639 →276 times

  • יַעֲשֶׂ֣הhe does

    yaasehH6213 →2628 times

  • אִוֶּ֑לֶתfoolishness

    ʾiveletH200 →25 times

  • וְאִ֥ישׁand a person of

    veishH376 →1663 times

  • מְ֝זִמּ֗וֹתevil devices

    mezimotH4209 →19 times

  • יִשָּׂנֵֽא׃he is hated

    yisane'H8130 →146 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 1:19

    My 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 2 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.

  • Through

    Proverbs 14:29

    A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.

    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.

  • Through

    Ecclesiastes 7:9

    Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.

    it leads to

    • 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.

Where this verse is studied

About Proverbs

The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.