John Gill Commentary Ecclesiastes 7:9

"Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools." — Ecclesiastes 7:9 (ASV)

Be not hasty in your 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 you, do not hasten in your 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 rests in the bosom of fools; where it rises 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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F12: Isocrates ad Nicoclem, p. 36.
• F13: "In pectoribus ira considit", Petronius; "iram sanguinei regio sub pectore cordis", Claudian. Deuteronomy 4. Consul. Honor. Panegyr. v. 241.