Proverbs 19:11

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger,.... That he does not show it immediately; but takes time to consider of the offence given him, and makes use of a proper time to resent what is fit should

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. The discretion of a man deferreth his anger. Discretion maketh a man long-suffering and patient of wrongs.

This is opposed to the perverse judgment of worldly men, who account it folly and stupidity not quickly to resent a provocation, and a dishonour and reproach not to revenge it.

Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and [it is] his glory to pass over a transgression.Ver. 11. The discretion of a man deferreth his anger.] Plato, when angry with his servant, would not correct him at that time, but let him go with Vapulares nisi irascerer, I am too angry to beat thee. A young man that had been brought up with Plato, returning home to his father’ s house, and hearing his father chide and exclaim furiously, said, "I have never seen the like with Plato." Anger, by being deferred, may be diminished, so it be not concealed for a further opportunity of mischief, as Absalom’ s towards Amnon, and Tiberius’ s, who, the more he meditated revenge, the more did time and delay sharpen it. And the farther off he threatened, the heavier the stroke fell. And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.] Heb., To pass by it, as not knowing of it, or not troubled at it. Thus David was deaf to the railings of his enemies, and "as a dumb man, in whose mouth are no reproofs." Socrates, when he was publicly abused in a comedy, laughed at it. Polyagrus vero seipsum strangulabat, saith Aelian; but Polyagrus, not able to bear such an indignity, hanged himself. Augustus likewise did but laugh at the satires and buffooneries which they had published against him; and when the senate would have further informed him of them, he would not hear them. The manlier any man is, the milder and readier to pass by an offence. This shows that he hath much of God in him (if he do it from a right principle), who bears with our evil manners, and forgives our trespasses, beseeching us to be reconciled. When any provoke us, we use to say, We will be even with him. There is a way whereby we may be not even with him, but above him, and that is, forgive him. Wink at small faults especially. Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit vivere. Seneca, De Ira, lib. iii. cap. 11. "Lentus in meditando ubi prorupisset," &c. - Tacit. ετροποφορησεν. [See the marginal reading in Authorised Version.]

(11) It is his glory to pass over a transgression.—In this he imitates a Greater. Comp. Micah 7:18; Romans 3:25; Matthew 5:45.)

Verse 11. It is his glory to pass over a transgression.] "No," says what is termed a man of honour; "he must meet me as a gentleman; I must have his blood, let God say what he will." O poor, dastardly coward! thou canst not bear the reproach of poor, flimsy, paltry fellows who ridicule thee, because thou hast refused to commit murder. Such laws should be put down by law; and the man that gives a challenge should be hanged, because he intends to commit murder.

11. deferreth his anger] maketh him slow to anger, R.V.; ἐλεήμωνἀνὴρμακροθυμεῖ, LXX. Comp. Isaiah 48:9, where the Heb. phrase is the same as here. The cognate Heb. phrase “slow to anger,” occurs frequently, e.g. Psalms 103:8. Comp. James 1:19-20.

11. Deferreth his anger — Literally, lengthens his nose or nostrils; his discretion makes him slow to anger. For this peculiar Orientalism see Proverbs 14:17; Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 15:1; Proverbs 15:18; Proverbs 16:32.