Proverbs 16:32 (YLT)

Passage

Better <FI>is<Fi> the slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:30 Consulting his eyes to devise froward things, Moving his lips he hath accomplished evil.

Proverbs 16:31 A crown of beauty <FI>are<Fi> grey hairs, In the way of righteousness it is found.

Proverbs 16:32 Better <FI>is<Fi> the slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.

Proverbs 16:33 Into the centre is the lot cast, And from Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> all its judgment!

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "better", "slow", "anger", "than", "mighty", "ruler", and "over". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "better", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 31's "A crown of beauty FI are Fi..." into verse 33's "Into the centre is the lot cast...", so "Spirit" and "better" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "better" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.