He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

He that is patient, is governed with much wisdom: but he that is impatient, exalteth his folly.

Whoso is slow to anger is of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.

He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly.

He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.

Whoever is patient is governed by much prudence. But whoever is impatient exalts his foolishness.

Exalteth folly - Lifts it up, as it were, on high, and exposes it to the gaze of all men.

That is hasty of spirit - קצר רוח ketsar ruach, "the short of spirit;" one that is easily irritated; and, being in a passion, he is agitated so as to be literally short of breath. Here put in opposition to ארך אפים erech appayim, long of nostrils; see on Proverbs 14:17 (note); and of the same import with St. Paul's μακροθυμια, longsuffering, longmindedness. See on Ephesians 4:2 (note).

He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding,.... Or "long in wrath" (e); it is long before he is angry; he is longsuffering, bears much and long, is very patient; such an one appears to understand himself and human nature, and has a great command over his passions; which shows him to be a man of great wisdom and understanding;
but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly; or is "short of spirit" (f); is soon angry; presently discovers resentment in his words, looks, and gestures; such an one "exalts folly", prefers it to wisdom, sets it above himself, and makes it his master: or he "lifts" it (g) up; exposes his folly to public view, so that it is seen of all men to his disgrace.
(e) "longus iris", Vatablus; "longus naribus", Montanus; "longus narium", Schultens. (f) "brevis spiritu", Montanus, Vatblus. Cocceius, Merceus, Michaelis; "curtus spiritu", Schultens. (g) "attollit", Mercerus, Piscator; "alte proclamat", Schultens; "elevat", Baynus.

A mild, patient man is one that learns of Christ, who is Wisdom itself. Unbridled passion is folly made known.

slow . . . understanding--(Compare Proverbs 14:17).
hasty--(Compare Proverbs 14:17).
exalteth folly--makes it conspicuous, as if delighting to honor it.

29 He that is slow to anger is rich in understanding;
But he that is easily excited carries off folly.
ארך אפּים (constr. of ארך) is he who puts off anger long, viz., the outbreak of anger, האריך, Proverbs 19:11, i.e., lets it not come in, but shuts it out long (μακρόθυμος = βραδὺς εἰς ὀργήν, James 1:19); and קצר־רוּח, he who in his spirit and temper, viz., as regards anger (for רוּח denotes also the breathing out and snorting, Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 33:11), is short, i.e., (since shortness of time is meant) is rash and suddenly (cf. quick to anger, praeceps in iram, 17a) breaks out with it, not ὀλιγόψυχος (but here ὀξύθυμος), as the lxx translate 17a. The former, who knows how to control his affections, shows himself herein as "great in understanding" (cf. 2-Samuel 23:20), or as a "man of great understanding" (Lat. multus prudenti); the contrary is he who suffers himself to be impelled by his affections into hasty, inconsiderate action, which is here expressed more actively by מרים אוּלת. Does this mean that he bears folly to the view (Luther, Umbreit, Bertheau, Elster, and others)? But for that idea the Mishle style has other expressions, Proverbs 12:23; Proverbs 13:16; Proverbs 15:2, cf. Proverbs 14:17. Or does it mean that he makes folly high, i.e., shows himself highly foolish (lxx, Syr., Targum, Fleischer, and others)? But that would be expressed rather by הגדּיל or הרבּה. Or is it he heightens folly (Lwenstein, Hitzig)? But the remark that the angry ebullition is itself a gradual heightening of the foolish nature of such an one is not suitable, for the choleric man, who lets the evenness of his disposition be interrupted by a breaking forth of anger, is by no means also in himself a fool. Rashi is right when he says, מפרישה לחלקו, i.e., (to which also Fleischer gives the preference) aufert pro portione sua stultitiam. The only appropriate parallel according to which it is to be explained, is Proverbs 3:35. But not as Ewald: he lifts up folly, which lies as it were before his feet on his life's path; but: he takes off folly, in the sense of Leviticus 6:8, i.e., he carries off folly, receives a portion of folly; for as to others, so also to himself, when he returns to calm blood, that which he did in his rage must appear as folly and madness.

Exalteth - Hebrews. lifteth up, like a banner, makes it known and visible to all men.