Murder and Moodiness

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.
               —Proverbs 17:1

Murder is a major offense. Moodiness, by comparison, is no offense at all. Murder can put the murderer away for life. Moodiness can be an everyday flurry with no reprisal.

Murder is mentioned only once in Proverbs (28:17). Moodiness, on the other hand, appears often.

“Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife” (21:9). Or if you don’t cotton to perching on the roof, there’s an alternate option: “Better to live alone in the desert than with a crabby, complaining wife” (21:19). “Restraining [a quarreling woman] is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand” (27:15–16).

“A quarrelsome man starts fights as easily as a match sets fire to paper” (26:21). “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins” (29:22).

Your mood is your master.

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