The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
Parallel translations
- WEB The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.
- BSB A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.
- NKJV The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
- NASB A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook an offense.
- NLT Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
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
Wise discretion makes a person slow to anger, and overlooking an offense is to one's glory. Patient forbearance is a mark of honor.
Overview
This proverb commends the prudence that restrains anger and the magnanimity that passes over an offense, calling such forbearance one's 'glory.' It elevates patient, forgiving love above retaliation. The verse anticipates the gospel ethic of forgiveness and points to God Himself, who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Ps. 103:8), and to Christ, who overlooked our offenses to redeem us.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 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 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:
- Col 3:12–13Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
- Prov 15:18A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
- Prov 20:3It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
- Prov 12:16A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.
- Eph 4:32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
- Rom 12:18–21If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
- Matt 18:21–22Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
- Prov 17:14The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
- Matt 5:44–45But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
- Prov 25:21If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
- Gen 50:15–21And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
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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 19:11 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.