Ecclesiastes 7:9
The end of a speech is better than the beginning. Patience is better than arrogance.
Catholic Public Domain Version
In The King James Version
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
In Context
8A false accusation troubles the wise man and saps the strength of his heart.
10Do not be quickly moved to anger. For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish.
Cross References
Genesis 4:5Yet in truth, he did not look with favor on Cain and his gifts. And Cain was vehemently angry, and his countenance fell.
Genesis 34:7behold, his sons arrived from the field. And hearing what had happened, they were very angry, because he had done a filthy thing in Israel and, in violating a daughter of Jacob, had perpetrated an unlawful act.
Genesis 34:30When they had boldly completed these acts, Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: “You have troubled me, and you have made me hateful to the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the inhabitants of this land. We are few. They, gathering themselves together, may strike me down, and then both I and my house will be wiped away.”
2 Samuel 13:22Yet Absalom did not speak to Amnon, neither good nor evil. For Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.
2 Samuel 13:32But Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, responding, said: “My lord the king should not consider that all the sons of the king have been slain. Amnon alone is dead. For he was set against by the mouth of Absalom from the day that he raped his sister Tamar.
Esther 3:5Now when Haman had heard this, and had proved by a test that Mordecai did not bend his knee to him, nor adore him, he was very angry.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 7:8-11
Scenes of Mourning and of Joy. 7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. Solomon had often complained before of the oppressions which he saw under the… Read the whole commentary →