He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
Parallel translations
- WEB One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.
- KJV He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
- NKJV He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
- NASB One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.
- NLT Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
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
Patience and self-control are greater strengths than military might. It matters because mastering one's own spirit is a more impressive victory than conquering cities.
Overview
This proverb exalts the slow-to-anger person and the one who rules his own spirit above the mighty warrior who takes a city. True strength is inward, found in self-mastery under God. It reflects the fruit of the Spirit in self-control and patience (Galatians 5:22-23).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Jas 1:19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- Prov 25:28Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.
- Prov 15:18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
- Prov 14:29A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
- Prov 19:11A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.
- Rom 12:21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- Ps 103:8The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.
- Eph 5:1Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,
- Rev 3:21To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
- Prov 16:19It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 16:32 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.