Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man defers his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. This is, strictly speaking, not a moral but an intellectual power. It is simply discernment; discernment and discretion are radically the same words, though east into different forms. Discernment is the ability to distinguish between things. A discreet man is a man who sees what is to his own interest, and acts accordingly. A man's discretion leads him to discern the men whom he may trust, as distinct from the men whom it is not safe to trust. A man's discretion is of immense service to him in the conduct of life; and if a man have little or no discretion he comes off very badly: he makes many blunders, sustains many losses, gets into many troubles, which a discreet man entirely escapes. Discretion is the main secret of secular success. But discretion can do some very questionable things. It is great in concealing facts. It is not a very noble property. A man's discretion nurses many old grudges, watching for the right occasion to pay them off. Discretion has a side of cunning and craft, and links with long-deferred anger and revenge. (Hugh Stowell Brown.) Parallel Verses KJV: The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.WEB: The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense. |
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