He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.
- BSB A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a devious man is hated.
- NKJV A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
- NASB A quick-tempered person acts foolishly, And a person of evil devices is hated.
- NLT Short-tempered people do foolish things, and schemers are hated.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A quick temper leads to folly, and scheming earns hatred. Both rash anger and calculated malice are condemned.
Overview
This proverb pairs two faults: the hot-tempered person who acts foolishly in the heat of the moment, and the crafty schemer whose calculated wrongdoing makes him hated. Together they warn against both impulsive and premeditated sin. Scripture commends instead the slow-to-anger character that reflects God's own patience (James 1:19-20).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 14:29He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
- Jas 1:19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
- Prov 29:22An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
- Eccl 7:9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
- Prov 15:18A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
- Prov 16:32He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
- Prov 22:24Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
- Prov 12:2A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.
- Esth 7:5–6Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?
- Jer 5:26–29For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
- Isa 32:7The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
- Esth 3:6And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
- Prov 12:16A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.
- Prov 6:18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 14:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.