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A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
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“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

King James Bible

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Source
King James Bible — Proverbs 15:1
Date
1611
English wording
King James Version translation committees · from Biblical Hebrew / Aramaic / Koine Greek
Meaning

Meaning of “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous…”

Tone can change the direction of conflict: a measured response may reduce escalation while harsh speech can intensify it.

Source context

Where does it come from?

Proverbs 15:1 in the King James Version.

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Themes

Ideas connected with this quotation

AngerCalmCommunicationCompassionDiscipline Quotes About Habits, Practice & ConsistencyForgivenessPatiencePeaceSelf-Control Quotes About Restraint & JudgmentShortTrust
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If he trespass against thee seven times in a day ... thou shalt forgive him.
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“If he trespass against thee seven times in a day ... thou shalt forgive him.”

Jesus · King James Bible — Luke 17:4 · 1611
Voice: Reported speaker · Jesus
Meaning & context

Repeated offence makes forgiveness harder, which is exactly the point of the passage: the moral demand is not limited to the first easy opportunity to forgive.

Source details

Luke 17:4 in the King James Version; the middle repetition is shortened with an ellipsis while preserving the verse’s instruction.

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I wish'd the man a dinner, and sat still.
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“I wish'd the man a dinner, and sat still.”

Alexander Pope · Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot · 1735
Meaning & context

The satirical speaker portrays restraint as refusing to escalate a literary attack, answering hostility with a comic wish that the critic’s need might be relieved.

Source details

An Epistle from Mr. Pope to Dr. Arbuthnot (1735 first-edition scan), printed page 8 / scan leaf 14, around lines 148–150. After saying Gildon drew his “venal quill,” Pope says he wished him a dinner and did not answer the attack. The first edition reads “sate still,” while the later/normalized Gutenberg #9800 witness underlying the frozen catalog reads “sat still”; this collection wording is retained and the witness variation is disclosed rather than silently rewritten.

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Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath.
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“Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath.”

Paul the Apostle · King James Bible — Romans 12:19 · 1611
Meaning & context

The instruction interrupts retaliation by asking people not to make personal revenge their response to injury, creating room for restraint and release.

Source details

Romans 12:19, King James Version; Paul tells readers not to avenge themselves within a larger sequence about responding to enemies and evil.

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Mildness and gentleness are more manly than anger and discontent.
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“Mildness and gentleness are more manly than anger and discontent.”

Marcus Aurelius · Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus · c. 170
Meaning & context

Strength is located in self-command and humane restraint rather than aggression, making gentleness compatible with courage.

Source details

Meditations, Book XI; George Long translation, in a reflection on responding to wrongdoing without anger.

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