Key Verse Spotlight
Proverbs 21:14 - Meaning and Application
Understand how this verse speaks to what you're facing and how to apply it today
Translation: World English Bible — Catholic Edition
" A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath. "
Proverbs 21:14
Verse in Context
Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:
12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked, and brings the wicked to ruin.
13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the righteous to do justice; but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.
Explore Guided Bible Studies
Structured sessions with notes, questions, and advisor insights
The Beatitudes (5-Day Micro)
A short study on Jesus' blessings and the kingdom way.
Session 1 Preview:
Blessed Are the Humble
6 min
Psalms of Comfort (5-Day Micro)
Short, calming sessions grounded in the Psalms.
Session 1 Preview:
The Shepherd's Care
5 min
Create a free account to save notes, track progress, and unlock all sessions
Create Free AccountBible Guided Commentary
Here we see, first, the power that gifts often have. Nothing is more fierce than anger. Strong wrath can be very hard to calm. Yet a well-chosen present, given with care, can turn away some people’s anger when it seemed impossible to quiet it, and can soften even the sharpest resentment.
We also see the strategy often used in giving and receiving bribes. The gift must be given in secret, and the reward must be hidden in the bosom, that is, kept out of sight. The one who takes it does not want to seem greedy, or to be known as receiving it, and he does not want to feel obliged to someone who has offended him. But if it is done privately, all seems well.
No one should be too open in giving any gift, or boast about the presents he sends. But if the gift is really a bribe meant to twist justice, that is so shameful that even those who like it are ashamed of it.
From This Chapter
Proverbs 21:1
"The king’s heart is in the LORD’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires."
Proverbs 21:2
"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts."
Proverbs 21:3
"To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice."
Proverbs 21:4
"A high look and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin."
Proverbs 21:5
"The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty."
Proverbs 21:6
"Getting treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor for those who seek death."
Daily Prayer
Get a daily Scripture reflection by email
Start each morning with a verse, a prayer, and a simple next step.
Important Disclaimer: This biblical guidance is not a substitute for professional mental health care. If you're experiencing crisis symptoms, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or seek immediate professional help.
Bible Guided provides faith-based guidance and should complement, not replace, professional therapeutic support.