New King James Version
Proverbs 27:4
4Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?
Proverbs 27:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
- New International Version (NIV)Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous.
Context of Proverbs 27:4
2Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. 3A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them. Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy? 5Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Read all of Proverbs 27Proverbs 27:4 word by word
אַכְזְרִיּ֣וּת חֵ֭מָה וְשֶׁ֣טֶף אָ֑ף וּמִ֥י יַ֝עֲמֹד לִפְנֵ֥י קִנְאָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 27:4
- James 1:19So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
- Proverbs 14:30A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.
- Genesis 26:14for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.
- Genesis 37:11And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
- Job 5:2For wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple one.
- Matthew 27:18For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.
- Acts 5:17Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation,
- Acts 7:9“And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him
- Acts 17:5But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
- Romans 1:29being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
- James 3:14But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
- James 4:5Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
- 1 John 3:12not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
- Proverbs 6:34For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Commentaries on Proverbs 27:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Who is able to stand before envy? - The rabbins have a curious story on this subject, and it has been formed by the moderns into a fable. There were two persons, one covetous and the other envious, to whom a certain person promised to grant whatever they should ask; but double to him who should ask last. The covetous man would not ask first, because he wished to get the double portion, and the envious man would not make the first request because he could…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Envy - Better, as in the margin, the violence of passion in the husband who thinks himself wronged (compare Proverbs 6:34).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-4Verses 3-4 Those who have no command of their passions, sink under the load.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Anger can be dangerous, but a gentle answer can calm it (Proverbs 15:1). Jealousy is more difficult to resolve (Proverbs 6:34–35).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. envy--or, "jealousy" (compare Margin; Pr 6:34), is more unappeasable than the simpler bad passions.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 27:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries