Proverbs 14:17

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about tempers: 

Proverbs 14:17 (ESV)

A man of quick temper acts foolishly,

and a man of evil devices is hated.

Solomon, in the above proverb, is describing two different, but the same, type of people.  In Hebrew poetry the second line of the poem is written to compliment, illustrate, contrast, or illuminate the first line.  This is called Hebrew Parallelism.  In the above proverb the first line states the theme and the second line explains another aspect, or nuance, of the theme.   The theme is a man who is not fearing The Lord.   The line states that it is a foolish man who is quick-tempered.   He is acting foolishly, at least.   The second line widens the narrative of this man and says not only is he quick-tempered and therefore acting foolish, he is actually evil in his approach to life and hated.   In 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 we have Paul's instruction telling us that the man of God, the Elder, is not to be quick to anger.   He is to be blameless in this area.   Solomon is telling us that the man who lives contrary to God's Word; contrary to the Fear of The Lord, is a man who is foolish, evil and hated.   As you watch someone who is quick-tempered you will soon see the evil in their response.    Note what Solomon says in another proverb about controlling these aspects of our spirits:  

Proverbs 16:32 - "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city."  

Since "self-control" is the Spirit's work, we need to remember that we have to rely on God, by faith, to control our anger and to keep us from evil.  The reason Solomon is telling us that a quick-tempered man is evil is because evilness flows from the heart.   Anger flows from the heart.   Righteous men allow the Spirit to control their anger because they are Spirit filled.