15 A gentle answer turns away anger,(A)
but a harsh word stirs up wrath.(B)

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15 A sensitive answer turns back wrath,
    but an offensive word stirs up anger.

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18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,(A)
but one slow to anger(B) calms strife.

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18 Hotheads stir up conflict,
    but patient people calm down strife.

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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 a warrior,
    and better to have self-control than to capture a city.

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17 Better a dry crust with peace
than a house full of feasting with strife.(A)

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17 Better a dry crust with quiet
    than a house full of feasting with quarrels.

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14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;
stop the dispute before it breaks out.(A)

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14 The start of a quarrel is like letting out water,
    so drop the dispute before it breaks out.

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19 One who loves to offend loves strife;(A)
one who builds a high threshold invites injury.

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19 Those who love an offense love a quarrel;
    those who build a high doorway invite a collapse.

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27 The one who has knowledge restrains his words,(A)
and one who keeps a cool head[a]
is a person of understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. 17:27 Lit spirit

27 Wise are those who restrain their talking;
    people with understanding are coolheaded.

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18 Casting the lot(A) ends quarrels
and separates powerful opponents.

19 An offended brother is harder to reach[a]
than a fortified city,
and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.

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Footnotes

  1. 18:19 LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read is stronger

18 The dice settle conflicts
    and keep strong opponents apart.
19 An offended ally is more formidable than a city;
    such quarreling is like the bars of a castle.

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

12 A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion,(C)
but his favor is like dew on the grass.(D)

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11 Insightful people restrain their anger;
    their glory is to ignore an offense.
12 A raging king roars like a lion;
    his favor is like the dew on the grass.

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19 A person with intense anger bears the penalty;
if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again.(A)

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19 Angry people must pay the penalty;
    if you rescue them, then you will have to do it again.

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Honor belongs to the person who ends a dispute,(A)
but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.(B)

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It is honorable to back off from a fight,
    but fools jump right in.

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22 Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!” (A)
Wait on the Lord,(B) and he will rescue you.(C)

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22 Don’t say, “I’ll repay the evildoer!”
    Wait for the Lord, and he will save you.

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