Proverbs 27:4 kjv

Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

Proverbs 27:4 nkjv

Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?

Proverbs 27:4 niv

Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

Proverbs 27:4 esv

Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

Proverbs 27:4 nlt

Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood,
but jealousy is even more dangerous.

Proverbs 27 verses

Proverbs 27 4 Meaning

Proverbs 27:4 profoundly illustrates the escalating destructiveness of negative human emotions. It first describes the immediate, powerful, and violent impact of wrath (a sudden, intense outburst) and anger (a more pervasive, often prolonged, fury). Both are portrayed as overwhelmingly destructive forces, likened to cruelty and an unstoppable flood. However, the verse concludes by highlighting envy as the most formidable and insidious of these, implying that its silent, corrosive nature is even more challenging to withstand or endure, as it consumes not only its victim but also the one who harbors it.

Proverbs 27 4 Context

Proverbs 27 falls within a section of wisdom literature that offers practical guidance on interpersonal relationships, self-governance, and discerning true friendship from flattery. This chapter contains a series of independent proverbs, often contrasting wisdom with folly. Proverbs 27:4 specifically deals with the destructive nature of emotions, moving from overt expressions of wrath and anger to the more subtle but ultimately more corrosive vice of envy. It serves as a warning against harboring these destructive emotions, especially envy, which, unlike wrath or anger, often festers silently within a person, eating away at their soul and potentially driving them to destructive actions against others. The cultural context emphasizes community harmony and personal integrity, which these emotions undermine.

Proverbs 27 4 Word analysis

• Wrath (Hebrew: חֵמָה - ḥemah): Refers to heat, strong anger, fury, rage. It denotes a boiling, intense passion, often associated with a sudden, overwhelming outburst. In biblical use, it can describe divine wrath or human rage. Its primary sense is that of fierce, consuming heat.
• is cruel (Hebrew: אַכְזָרִי - akhzari): Means fierce, cruel, pitiless, merciless. It suggests a brutal, unfeeling disposition. When wrath is cruel, it means it lacks compassion or restraint and is capable of inflicting severe, unprovoked harm, tearing apart what is gentle and tender.
• and anger (Hebrew: אָף - aph): Literally means "nose" or "nostril," but idiomatically refers to anger due to the physiological reaction (flaring nostrils, rapid breathing). It describes indignation or resentment, often more prolonged and brooding than sudden wrath, yet still explosive and intense in its manifestations. It implies a deeper, more rooted fury.
• is outrageous (Hebrew: שֶׁטֶף - sheṭep̄): Implies a deluge, flood, or overwhelming rush. The word suggests something that breaks all bounds, overflows, and is uncontainable and utterly destructive. Unlike "cruel," which points to the nature of the action, "outrageous" highlights the uncontrolled extent and destructive force of the anger, like a natural disaster that sweeps everything away.
• but who is able (Hebrew: מִי יַעֲמֹד - mi yaʿămodh): This is a rhetorical question, "who can stand?" or "who can endure?" It strongly implies a negative answer: "no one" or "very few." It highlights the profound and exceptional difficulty in confronting or overcoming the subject that follows.
• to stand before envy (Hebrew: לִפְנֵי קִנְאָה - līfne qin'ah):
  • to stand before: Means to resist, endure, confront successfully, or even to exist in its presence without being destroyed.
  • envy (Hebrew: קִנְאָה - qin'ah): Can mean zeal, jealousy, or envy. In this negative context, it refers to a deep resentment of another's advantages, possessions, success, or perceived superiority. Unlike wrath and anger, which are overt, envy often festers internally and quietly, leading to bitter ill-will, secret plotting, and ultimately the ruin of the envious person and their relationships. It is considered more dangerous because it is subtle, persistent, and more difficult to identify and combat from the outside.

Words-group analysis:

• "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous": This phrase sets up a comparison between two powerful, destructive emotions. "Wrath is cruel" emphasizes the heartless and inflicting nature of sudden rage, while "anger is outrageous" stresses the overwhelming, boundless, and destructive power of fury. Together, they depict active, overt forms of destruction, highlighting their immediate and devastating impact.
• "but who is able to stand before envy?": This rhetorical question signifies a climactic statement. By shifting from declarative statements about wrath and anger to a question about envy, the proverb suggests envy's superior destructiveness. The phrase indicates that envy is uniquely challenging, perhaps because it's internal, corrosive, and insidious, rather than an immediate, visible outburst. Its relentless nature makes it more formidable and inescapable for both the one who harbors it and potentially its victim.

Proverbs 27 4 Bonus section

• The verse suggests a progression from a physical manifestation of emotion (wrath, anger, which involve visible outbursts and sometimes physical actions) to a deeply internal and often hidden one (envy). This hidden nature is what makes envy so difficult to "stand before."
• Envy is unique among negative emotions because its primary aim is often not simply to harm but to remove or spoil the good possessed by another, sometimes even without gaining it for oneself. It breeds ill-will rather than seeking resolution or justice.
• The Hebrew concept of "zeal" (qin'ah) can be positive when directed towards God or righteousness, demonstrating passionate devotion. However, in this context, it is corrupted into a destructive resentment against perceived superiority or blessing in others. This highlights that intense emotion is not inherently negative but its direction and object define its moral and practical outcome.
• Biblical narratives frequently showcase the devastating impact of envy, from Cain's murder of Abel to the Jewish leaders' plotting against Jesus. These examples confirm the proverb's assertion about envy's unparalleled destructive power, capable of inspiring malice, treachery, and ultimately death.

Proverbs 27 4 Commentary

Proverbs 27:4 offers a profound spiritual and psychological insight into the hierarchy of destructive emotions. It portrays wrath and anger as potent forces, likened to brutal cruelty and an overwhelming flood, which are outwardly violent and immediately evident. They disrupt peace and inflict swift damage. However, the proverb asserts that envy is an even more formidable and destructive adversary. While wrath and anger may be explosive but finite, envy is an insidious, gnawing, and often hidden internal poison. It quietly corrupts the soul, leading to bitterness, resentment, and a relentless desire to see another's good undone. Its power lies in its subtlety and persistence, consuming the individual from within and often prompting long-term destructive actions that are harder to withstand than a sudden outburst. Envy prevents contentment and breeds a vicious cycle of discontent, making genuine peace impossible for those it afflicts.