Ecclesiastes 7:9 Meaning and Explanation
“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Do not let anger rise quickly within you, for nursed anger settles down and makes its home in fools.
What Does Ecclesiastes 7:9 Mean?
Flowing from the praise of patience, this verse turns to its opposite. The warning is not against all anger but against being 'hasty' with it — letting it flare fast and then lodge in the heart. The picture is of anger resting, settling in, as a guest who will not leave.
Quick anger blinds judgment and breeds regret; anger that is cherished rather than released becomes the resident temper of a fool. The wise learn to be slow to wrath, giving room for understanding and grace. Scripture echoes this in the call to be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
Ecclesiastes 7:9 in the Original Language
kaas (כַּעַס), 'anger' -- vexation or resentment, here pictured as settling and lodging in the heart.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 7:9
What does Ecclesiastes 7:9 mean?
Do not let anger rise quickly within you, for nursed anger settles down and makes its home in fools.