Ecclesiastes 7:9

9 Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 7:9

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry
With men, for every word that is said, or action done, that is not agreeable; encourage not, but repress, sudden angry emotions of the mind; be not quick of resentment, and at once express anger and displeasure; but be slow to wrath, for such a man is better than the mighty, ( James 1:19 ) ( Proverbs 16:32 ) ; or with God, for his corrections and chastisements; so the Targum,

``in the time that correction from heaven comes upon thee, do not hasten in thy soul to be hot (or angry) to say words of rebellion (or stubbornness) against heaven;''

that advice is good,

``do nothing in anger ^F12;''

for anger resteth in the bosom of fools;
where it riseth quick, and continues long; here it soon betrays itself, and finds easy admittance, and a resting dwelling place; it easily gets in, but it is difficult to get it out of the heart of a fool; both which are proofs of his folly, ( Proverbs 12:16 ) ( 14:17 ) ; see ( Ephesians 4:26 ) ; the bosom, or breast, is commonly represented as the seat of anger by other writers ^F13.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Isocrates ad Nicoclem, p. 36.
F13 "In pectoribus ira considit", Petronius; "iram sanguinei regio sub pectore cordis", Claudian. de 4. Consul. Honor. Panegyr. v. 241.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 In-Context

7 The wise are troubled by the ways of the cruel, and the giving of money is the destruction of the heart.

8 The end of a thing is better than its start, and a gentle spirit is better than pride.

9 Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.

10 Say not, Why were the days which have gone by better than these? Such a question comes not from wisdom.

11 Wisdom together with a heritage is good, and a profit to those who see the sun.