Proverbs 12:16
A fool immediately sheweth his anger: but he that dissembleth injuries is wise.
Open Proverbs 12:16 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Fatuus statim indicat iram suam ; qui autem dissimulat injuriam callidus est.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἄφρων αὐθημερὸν ἐξαγγέλλει ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ, κρύπτει δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀτιμίαν πανοῦργος.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- אֱוִ֗יל בַּ֭יּוֹם יִוָּדַ֣ע כַּעְס֑וֹ וְכֹסֶ֖ה קָל֣וֹן עָרֽוּם
Haydock's commentary
Wise. It is more difficult to repress, than to avoid anger. (St. Ambrose)
To dissemble, so as to seek an opportunity of revenge, is not commended.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Cyprian Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, Testimony VIII
In Solomon in the Proverbs: “Better is a patient man than a strong man; for he who restrains his anger is better than he who taketh a city.” Also in the same place: “The imprudent man declareth his anger on the same day, but the crafty man hideth away his dishonour.” Of this same thing to the Ephesians: “Be ye angry, and sin not. Let not the sun set upon your wrath.” Also in the Gospel according to Matthew: “Ye have heard that it was said by the ancients, Thou shalt not kill; and whoever shall kill shall be guilty of the judgment. But I say unto you, That every one who is angry with his brother without cause shall be guilty of the judgment.”
St Jerome Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus, The way of peace is through the wisdom taught in the Book of Proverbs, and through unity in the faith
“Foolish men, while they desire injuries, become impious and hate wisdom. Devise not evil against thy friend. Be not angry with a man without a cause. The impious exalt contumely. Remove from thee the evil mouth, keep far from thee the wicked lips, the eyes of him that speaketh evil, the tongue of the unjust, the hands which shed the blood of the just, the heart that deviseth evil thoughts, and the feet which hasten to do evil. He that resteth upon falsehood feedeth the winds, and followeth the flying birds. For he hath left the ways of his own vineyard, and hath made the wheels of his tillage to err. He walketh through the dry and desert places, and with his hands he gathereth barrenness. The mouth of the froward is near to destruction, and he who uttereth evil words is the chief of fools. Every simple man is a soul that is blessed; but a violent man is dishonourable. …
St John Cassian The Conferences of John Cassian. Part II. Containing Conferences XI-XVII, Chapter XXVII. How anger should be repressed
We ought then to restrain every movement of anger and moderate it under the direction of discretion, that we may not by blind rage be hurried into that which is condemned by Solomon: “The wicked man expends all his anger, but the wise man dispenses it bit by bit,” i.e., a fool is inflamed by the passion of his anger to avenge himself; but a wise man, by the ripeness of his counsel and moderation little by little diminishes it, and gets rid of it. Something of the same kind too is this which is said by the Apostle: “Not avenging yourselves, dearly beloved: but give place to wrath,” i.e., do not under the compulsion of wrath proceed to vengeance, but give place to wrath, i.e., do not let your hearts be confined in the straits of impatience and cowardice so that, when a fierce storm of passion rises, you cannot endure it; but be ye enlarged in your hearts, receiving the adverse waves of ang …