Sprueche 21:14

14 Eine Gabe im Verborgenen wendet den Zorn ab, und ein Geschenk im Busen den heftigen Grimm.

Sprueche 21:14 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 21:14

A gift in secret pacifieth anger
Appeases an angry man; humbles and "brings [his anger] down" F25, as Aben Ezra and Gersom observe the word signifies; which before rose very high, and showed itself in big words and disdainful looks, as proud wrath does; or extinguishes it, as the Targum and Vulgate Latin version render it, and very fitly. Anger is a fire in the breast; and a restraining or causing it to cease is properly expressed by an extinguishing of it: this a gift or present does, as it did in Esau from Jacob, in David from Abigail; but then it must be secretly given, otherwise it may more provoke; since it may show vanity in the giver, and covetousness in the receiver; and the former may have more honour than the latter. Some understand this of a gift for a bribe to a judge, to abate the severity of the sentence; and others of alms deeds to the poor, to pacify the anger of God F26: Jarchi interprets it of alms; and the Jews write this sentence upon the poor's box, understanding it in this sense; but the first sense is best; and a reward in the bosom strong wrath:
the same thing in different words; the meaning is, that a reward or gift, secretly conveyed into the bosom of an angry man, pacifies his wrath, when at the greatest height. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, understand it in a quite different sense, of a gift retained in the bosom, and not given, and render it thus, "he that spareth gifts stirreth up strong wrath".


FOOTNOTES:

F25 (hpky) "deprimit", Piscator; so some in Mercerus; "subigit", Cocceius; "pensat nasum", Schultens.
F26 "Munera (crede mihi) placant hominesque deosque", Ovid. de Arte Amandi, l. 3.

Sprueche 21:14 In-Context

12 Ein Gerechter hat acht auf das Haus des Gesetzlosen, er stürzt die Gesetzlosen ins Unglück.
13 Wer sein Ohr verstopft vor dem Schrei des Armen, auch er wird rufen und nicht erhört werden.
14 Eine Gabe im Verborgenen wendet den Zorn ab, und ein Geschenk im Busen den heftigen Grimm.
15 Dem Gerechten ist es Freude, Recht zu üben; aber denen, die Frevel tun, ein Schrecken.
16 Ein Mensch, der von dem Wege der Einsicht abirrt, wird ruhen in der Versammlung der Schatten.
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