4 Maccabees 2:18-20

Common English Bible

¹⁸ The sensible mind, as I have said, is able to get the upper hand over the emotions, transforming some and defeating others. ¹⁹ If this were not the case, why did Jacob our wise ancestor denounce the households of Simeon and Levi for the unreasonable killing of the whole nation of Shechem, saying, “Their anger is cursed”? ²⁰ If clear thinking couldn’t control anger, he wouldn’t have said this.