Ecclésiaste 7:9

9 Ne te hâte pas en ton esprit de t'irriter, car l'irritation repose dans le sein des insensés.

Ecclésiaste 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.

Ecclésiaste 7:9 In-Context

7 L'oppression rend insensé le sage, et les présents corrompent le coeur.

8 Mieux vaut la fin d'une chose que son commencement; mieux vaut un esprit patient qu'un esprit hautain.

9 Ne te hâte pas en ton esprit de t'irriter, car l'irritation repose dans le sein des insensés.

10 Ne dis pas: D'où vient que les jours passés étaient meilleurs que ceux ci? Car ce n'est point par sagesse que tu demandes cela.

11 La sagesse vaut autant qu'un héritage, et même plus pour ceux qui voient le soleil.