Amsal 16:32-33

16:32 Better to be slow to anger ¹  than to be a mighty warrior,

and one who controls his temper ²  is better than ³  one who captures a city. ⁴ 

16:33 The dice are thrown into the lap, ⁵ 

but their every decision ⁶  is from the Lord. ⁷ 

[16:32]  ¹ tn One who is “slow to anger” is a patient person (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT). This is explained further in the parallel line by the description of “one who rules his spirit” (וּמֹשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ, umoshel bÿrukho), meaning “controls his temper.” This means the person has the emotions under control and will not “fly off the handle” quickly.

[16:32]  ² tn Heb “who rules his spirit” (so NASB).

[16:32]  ³ tn The phrase “is better than” does not appear in this line in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the parallelism.

[16:32]  ⁴ sn The saying would have had greater impact when military prowess was held in high regard. It is harder, and therefore better, to control one’s passions than to do some great exploit on the battlefield.

[16:33]  ⁵ tn Heb “the lot is cast.” Because the ancient practice of “casting lots” is unfamiliar to many modern readers, the imagery has been updated to “throwing dice.”

[16:33]  sn The proverb concerns the practice of seeking divine leading through casting lots. For a similar lesson, see Amenemope (18, 19:16-17, in ANET 423).

[16:33]  ⁶ tn Heb “all its decision.”

[16:33]  ⁷ sn The point concerns seeking God’s will through the practice. The Lord gives guidance in decisions that are submitted to him.