Proverbs 16:32

New English Translation

³²Better to be slow to anger^[a] than to be a mighty warrior,
and one who controls his temper^[b] is better than^[c] one who captures a city.^[d]

Proverbs 16:32 tn One who is “slow to anger” is a patient person (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT). This is explained further in the parallel line by the description of “one who rules his spirit” (וּמֹשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ, umoshel b^erukho), meaning “controls his temper.” This means the person has the emotions under control and will not “fly off the handle” quickly.
Proverbs 16:32 tn Heb “who rules his spirit” (so NASB).
Proverbs 16:32 tn The phrase “is better than” does not appear in this line in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the parallelism.
Proverbs 16:32 sn The saying would have had greater impact when military prowess was held in high regard. It is harder, and therefore better, to control one’s passions than to do some great exploit on the battlefield.

Proverbs 16:32

International Standard Version

³²Whoever controls his temper is better than a warrior,
and anyone who has control of his spirit is better
than someone who captures a city.

²⁸Like a city that is broken down and without a wall,
so is a person who cannot control his temper.^[a]

Proverbs 25:28 tn Heb “whose spirit lacks restraint” (ASV similar). A person whose spirit (רוּחַ, ruakh) “lacks restraint” is one who is given to outbursts of passion, who lacks self-control (cf. NIV, NRSV, CEV, NLT). This person has no natural defenses but reveals his true nature all the time. The proverb is stating that without self-control a person is vulnerable, like a city without defenses.

²⁸Like a city with breached walls
is a man without self-control.

¹¹A fool lets fly with all his temper,^[a]
but a wise person keeps it back.^[b]

Proverbs 29:11 tn Heb “his spirit.” It has been commonly interpreted to mean “his anger” (ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV), but it probably means more than that. The fool gives full expression to his “soul,” whether it is anger or bitterness or frustration or any other emotions. He has no self-control.
Proverbs 29:11 tn The line is difficult. The MT has בְּאָחוֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶנָּה (b^eʾakhor y^eshabb^ekhennah), which literally means “steals it back.” The verb שָׁבַח (shavakh) means “to soothe; to still,” as with a storm, or here with the temper. But because אָחוֹר (ʾakhor) does not fit very well with this verb, most commentators offer some suggested change. C. H. Toy reads “anger” instead of “back” and translates the verb “restrain” following the LXX, which has “self-control” (Proverbs [ICC], 510). The idea of self-control is what is intended, but the changes suggested are not entirely warranted. A number of English versions have “holds it back” (e.g., NASB, NRSV, NLT), and this fits the Hebrew as well as any.

¹¹The fool vents all his feelings,^[a]
but the wise person keeps them to himself.^[b]

New English Translation (NET)

International Standard Version (ISV)