Ecclesiastes 10:4
New International Version
If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest.

New Living Translation
If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.

English Standard Version
If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.

Berean Standard Bible
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.

King James Bible
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

New King James Version
If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses.

New American Standard Bible
If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your place, because composure puts great offenses to rest.

NASB 1995
If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.

NASB 1977
If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.

Legacy Standard Bible
If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because calmness causes great offenses to be abandoned.

Amplified Bible
If the temper of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post [showing resistance], because composure and calmness prevent great offenses.

Christian Standard Bible
If the ruler’s anger rises against you, don’t leave your post, for calmness puts great offenses to rest.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If the ruler’s anger rises against you, don’t leave your place, for calmness puts great offenses to rest.

American Standard Version
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

Contemporary English Version
Don't give up your job when your boss gets angry. If you stay calm, you'll be forgiven.

English Revised Version
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding allayeth great offences.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If a ruler becomes angry with you, don't resign your position. If you remain calm, you can make up for serious offenses.

Good News Translation
If your ruler becomes angry with you, do not hand in your resignation; serious wrongs may be pardoned if you keep calm.

International Standard Version
If your overseer gets angry at you, don't resign, because calmness pacifies great offenses.

Majority Standard Bible
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.

NET Bible
If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses.

New Heart English Bible
If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, do not leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.

Webster's Bible Translation
If the spirit of the ruler riseth against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offenses.

World English Bible
If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, "" For yielding quiets great sinners.

Young's Literal Translation
If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.

Smith's Literal Translation
If the spirit of him ruling shall go up against thee, thou shalt not leave thy place; for quietness will put down great sins.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.

Catholic Public Domain Version
If the spirit of one who holds authority rises over you, do not leave your place, because attentiveness will cause the greatest sins to cease.

New American Bible
Should the anger of a ruler burst upon you, do not yield your place; for calmness abates great offenses.

New Revised Standard Version
If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post, for calmness will undo great offenses.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
If the temper of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your country; because healing forgives many sins.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If the spirit of a prince rises against you, do not leave your place, because healing dissolves many sins
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, Leave not thy place; For gentleness allayeth great offences.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wisdom and Folly
3Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool. 4If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest. 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun—an error that proceeds from the ruler:…

Cross References
Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Matthew 5:39
But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also;

1 Peter 2:18-23
Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable. / For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended. / How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. ...

Proverbs 25:15
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

James 1:19-20
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, / for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

Romans 12:18
If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

1 Samuel 25:24-31
She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant. / My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent. / Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, since the LORD has held you back from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, may your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal. ...

Proverbs 16:14
The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.

1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

2 Timothy 2:24-25
And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. / He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

Proverbs 19:11
A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.

Ephesians 4:26-27
“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, / and do not give the devil a foothold.

Genesis 32:3-21
Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. / He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now. / I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’” ...

Colossians 3:12-13
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. / Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.


Treasury of Scripture

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for yielding pacifies great offenses.

leave

Ecclesiastes 8:3
Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

for

1 Samuel 25:24
And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

Proverbs 25:15
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

Jump to Previous
Abandon Amends Deference Errors Gentleness Great Keeps Leave Offences Offenses Overlooked Pacifieth Position Post Quiet Quietness Rest Rise Rises Riseth Ruler Ruler's Sins Spirit Temper Wrath Yielding
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Abandon Amends Deference Errors Gentleness Great Keeps Leave Offences Offenses Overlooked Pacifieth Position Post Quiet Quietness Rest Rise Rises Riseth Ruler Ruler's Sins Spirit Temper Wrath Yielding
Ecclesiastes 10
1. observations of wisdom and folly
7. death in life
9. and the day of judgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on














If the ruler’s temper flares against you
This phrase suggests a situation where a person in authority becomes angry or upset. The Hebrew word for "ruler" here is "מֶלֶךְ" (melek), which can refer to a king or any person in a position of authority. Historically, rulers had significant power, and their anger could lead to severe consequences. The phrase "temper flares" indicates a sudden outburst of anger, which in the ancient Near Eastern context, could be dangerous. The wisdom here is timeless, advising patience and understanding when dealing with authority figures, recognizing that their anger might not always be justified or permanent.

do not abandon your post
The instruction here is to remain steadfast and not to flee or resign in the face of anger. The Hebrew root for "abandon" is "נָטַשׁ" (natash), meaning to leave or forsake. In a historical context, abandoning one's post could be seen as an act of rebellion or cowardice, potentially worsening the situation. The advice is to maintain one's responsibilities and composure, demonstrating loyalty and resilience. This reflects a broader biblical principle of faithfulness and perseverance, even under pressure.

for calmness
The word "calmness" is derived from the Hebrew "מַרְפֵּא" (marpe), which can mean healing or a gentle response. This suggests that a peaceful and composed demeanor can have a soothing effect, even in tense situations. In the biblical context, calmness is often associated with wisdom and the fear of the Lord, as seen in Proverbs. It implies a trust in God’s sovereignty and a reliance on His peace, which surpasses understanding.

lays great offenses to rest
This phrase highlights the power of a gentle response to defuse conflict. The Hebrew word for "offenses" is "חֲטָאָה" (chata'ah), which can mean sin or wrongdoing. The idea is that calmness can mitigate or even nullify significant transgressions. Historically, this reflects the wisdom literature's emphasis on the power of words and demeanor to influence outcomes. In a scriptural context, it aligns with teachings in the New Testament, such as in James 1:19, which encourages believers to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry."

(4) We return now to the thought of Ecclesiastes 8:3. For "spirit" in the sense of "anger," see Judges 8:3.

Rise up.--Psalm 78:21; 2Samuel 11:20.

Yielding.--Literally, healing. (See Proverbs 15:4.) . . .

Verses 4-7. - Section 12. Illustration of the conduct of wisdom under capricious rulers, or when fools are exalted to high stations. Verse 4. - If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee. "Spirit" (ruach) is here equivalent to "anger," as Judges 8:3; Proverbs 29:11. The idea seems to be that a statesman or councilor gives wise advice to a monarch, which the latter takes in bad part, and shows strong resentment against the person who offered it. Now, when a man knows himself to be in the right, and yet finds his counsel rejected, perhaps with scorn and reproach added, he is naturally prone to feel sore, and to show by some overt act his sense of the ill treatment which he has received. But what says wisdom? Leave not thy place (makom); i.e. position, pest, office. Do not hastily resign the situation at court to which you have been appointed. Some, not so suitably, take the expression, "leave thy place," figuratively, as equivalent to "give way to anger, renounce the temper which becomes you, lose your self-possession." But Wright, from the analogous use of matstsale and maamad in Isaiah 22:19, confirms the interpretation which we have adopted. Compare the advice in Ecclesiastes 8:3, where, however, the idea is rather of open rebellion than of a resentment which shows itself by withdrawal. Origen ('De Princip.,' 3:2) explained "the spirit of the ruler" to be the evil spirit; and Gregory, commenting on this passage, writes ('Moral.,' 3:43), "As though he had said in plain words, 'If thou perceivest the spirit of the tempter to prevail against thee in aught, quit not the lowliness of penitence;' and that it was the abasement of penitence that he called 'our place,' he shows by the words that follow, 'for healing [Vulgate] pacifieth great offences.' For what else is the humility of mourning, save the remedy of sin?" (Oxford transl.). For yielding pacifieth great offenses. Marpe, "yielding," is rendered "healing" by the versions. Thus ἴαμα (Septuagint); euratio (Vulgate). But this translation is not so suitable as that of Symmachus, σωφροσύνη, "moderation." The word is used in the sense of" gentleness," "meekness," in Proverbs 14:30; Proverbs 15:4; and the gnome expresses the truth that a calm, conciliating spirit, not prone to take offence, but patient under trying circumstances, obviates great sins. The sins are those of the subject. This quiet resignation saves him from conspiracy, rebellion, treason, etc., into which his untempered resentment might hurry him. We may compare Proverbs 15:1 and Proverbs 25:15; and Horace, 'Cam.,' 3. 3, "Justum et tenacem propositi virum," etc.

"The man whose soul is firm and strong,
Bows not to any tyrant's frown,
And on the rabble's clamorous throng
In proud disdain looks coldly down."


(Stanley.) They who regard the "offenses" as those of the ruler explain them to mean oppression and injustice; but it seems plain from the run of the sentence that the minister, not the monarch, is primarily in the mind of the writer, though, of course, it is quite true that the submission of the former might save the ruler from the commission of some wrong.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

the ruler’s
הַמּוֹשֵׁל֙ (ham·mō·wō·šêl)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4910: To rule, have dominion, reign

temper
ר֤וּחַ (rū·aḥ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

flares
תַּעֲלֶ֣ה (ta·‘ă·leh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

against you,
עָלֶ֔יךָ (‘ā·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

abandon
תַּנַּ֑ח (tan·naḥ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3240: Bestow, cast down, lay down, up, leave off, let alone remain, pacify, place,

your post,
מְקוֹמְךָ֖ (mə·qō·wm·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

for
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

calmness
מַרְפֵּ֔א (mar·pê)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4832: Curative, a medicine, a cure, deliverance, placidity

{lays} great
גְּדוֹלִֽים׃ (gə·ḏō·w·lîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

offenses
חֲטָאִ֥ים (ḥă·ṭā·’îm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2399: A crime, its penalty

to rest.
יַנִּ֖יחַ (yan·nî·aḥ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3240: Bestow, cast down, lay down, up, leave off, let alone remain, pacify, place,


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rises (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 10:3
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