15 A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath,
But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger.^(A)

¹⁸ 
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But he who is slow to anger and patient calms disputes.

³² 
He who is slow to anger is better and more honorable than the mighty [soldier],
And he who rules and controls his own spirit, than he who captures a city.

17 Better is a dry morsel [of food served] with quietness and peace
Than a house full of feasting [served] with strife and contention.

¹⁴ 
The beginning of strife is like letting out water [as from a small break in a dam; first it trickles and then it gushes];
Therefore ^[a]abandon the quarrel before it breaks out and tempers explode.

¹⁹ 
He who loves transgression loves strife and is quarrelsome;
He who [proudly] raises his gate seeks destruction [because of his arrogant pride].

²⁷ 
He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words,
And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper).^(A)

^18 
[a]To cast lots puts an end to quarrels
And decides between powerful contenders.
¹⁹ 
A brother offended is harder to win over than a fortified city,
And contentions [separating families] are like the bars of a castle.

¹¹ 
Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger,
And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment].
¹² 
The king’s wrath terrifies like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is as [refreshing and nourishing as] dew on the grass.^(A)

¹⁹ 
A man of great anger will bear the penalty [for his quick temper and lack of self-control];
For if you rescue him [and do not let him learn from the consequences of his action], you will only have to rescue him over and over again.