29 A patient person shows great understanding,(A)
but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.

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29 People with understanding control their anger;
    a hot temper shows great foolishness.

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32 Patience is better than power,
and controlling one’s emotions,[a] than capturing a city.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 16:32 Lit and ruling over one’s spirit

32 Better to be patient than powerful;
    better to have self-control than to conquer a city.

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11 A person’s insight gives him patience,(A)
and his virtue is to overlook an offense.(B)

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11 Sensible people control their temper;
    they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.

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23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
consider carefully what[a] is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
if you have a big[b] appetite;
don’t desire his choice food,(A)
for that food is deceptive.

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Footnotes

  1. 23:1 Or who
  2. 23:2 Lit you are the master of an

23 While dining with a ruler,
    pay attention to what is put before you.
If you are a big eater,
    put a knife to your throat;
don’t desire all the delicacies,
    for he might be trying to trick you.

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28 A person who does not control his temper(A)
is like a city whose wall is broken down.(B)

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28 A person without self-control
    is like a city with broken-down walls.

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29 One who becomes stiff-necked,
after many reprimands
will be shattered instantly—
beyond recovery.(A)

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29 Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism
    will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.

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