Proverbs 15:18

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
– Proverbs 15:18

Hatred, pride, and anger in a man is the root of stirring up strife (Proverbs 10:12; 28:25; 29:22). The word for wrathful means heat, and we would say hot-headed, a quick temper, or a short fuse. He escalates strife and contentions like adding fuel onto a low burning fire (Proverbs 26:21). The contrast is with one who is slow to anger. He has the patience and wisdom to defuse situations and persuade for good (Proverbs 15:1; 25:15).

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Proverbs 10:12

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
– Proverbs 10:12

The word for stirreth up means literally to awaken as out of sleep. Strifes are contentions, quarrels, or discords of all kinds. The stirring and spreading of contentions comes from hatred. Other proverbs expose the stirring of strife as coming from wrath, ungodliness, pride, and anger (Proverbs 15:18; 16:27; 28:25; 29:22). A hateful heart captures all those ideas.

The contrast comes in the form of action motivated by love. The word for covereth means to conceal or hide. It can be used to speak of covering the body with clothing. Covering obviously doesn’t mean sweeping sin under the rug and acting as though it doesn’t exist (Proverbs 28:13). We understand what is meant by observing the parallelism in the proverb. It is opposite of stirring up contentions and strife. It is the wisdom that defers anger and passes over transgressions (Proverbs 19:11). Often, there isn’t a problem between people until we make one and that is what hatred does. Love covers shame, appeases strife, and ceases from it (Proverbs 12:16; 15:18; 20:3).

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Proverbs 6:19

A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
– Proverbs 6:19

False witness refers to deception but it is distinct from just lying. A false witness lies in order to condemn someone. It is a false accusation or report that gives evidence of guilt against someone. False witness was prohibited by the law (Exodus 20:16; 23:1) and punishable (Deuteronomy 19:16-20). Of course, this is in the range of the evil man with a forward mouth (Proverbs 6:12).

The list concludes with declaring the sowing of discord to be an abomination and this was also a mark of the evil man (Proverbs 6:14). Discord is strife or contention. Sowing discord refers to causing such strife where none existed, or where there’s no reason for contention. This sort is quick to enflame a contention (Proverbs 26:20-21), or keep one going.

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