--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ancient sages said, ‘He who is…" description: "\"“The ancient sages said, ‘He who is angry—it is the same as if he worshiped idols.’ They also said, ‘One who yields to anger—if he is a sage, his wisdo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/rodger-kamenetz-32290_anger_the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-i_3195075.jpg" --- # The ancient sages said, ‘He who is angry—it is the same as… ![“The ancient sages said, ‘He who is angry—it is the same as if he worshiped idols.’ They also said, ‘One who yields to anger—if he is a sage, his wisdom departs from him; if he is a prophet, his prophetic gift departs from him.’ Those of an irate disposition—their life is not worth living.” quote by Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/rodger-kamenetz-32290_anger_the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-i_3195075.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/rodger-kamenetz-32290_anger_the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-i_3195075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/rodger-kamenetz-32290_anger_the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-i_3195075.jpg) > ““The ancient sages said, ‘He who is angry—it is the same as if he worshiped idols.’ They also said, ‘One who yields to anger—if he is a sage, his wisdom departs from him; if he is a prophet, his prophetic gift departs from him.’ Those of an irate disposition—their life is not worth living.”” [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anger is equated with idolatry, eroding wisdom and prophetic gifts; an irate life lacks value. **In simple terms:** Anger destroys wisdom and purpose. Key Takeaway Avoid anger to preserve insight. Themes wisdom spirituality self‑control Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - spiritual practice Key Concepts idolatry loss of insight prophetic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How does anger affect your decision‑making? - What practices help you stay calm? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Anger Sage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger-sage-5909243/) [Angry Worshiped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry-worshiped-5909244/) [Life is not worth living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-not-worth-living/) [Sage Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sage-wisdom-1802614/) [Sages Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sages-said-4116597/) [Wisdom Departs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-departs-4844030/) [Worth living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-living/) ## Related quotes > [When anger enters the mind, wisdom departs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/when-anger-enters-the-mind-wisdom-departs/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [O woman! thou wert fashioned to beguile: So have all sages said, all poets sung.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ingelow/o-woman-thou-wert-fashioned-to-beguile-so-have-all-sages-said-all/) [Jean Ingelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ingelow/) > [I always have my best thoughts on the toilet, so thats where that sage wisdom was coming from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-day/i-always-have-my-best-thoughts-on-the-toilet-so-thats-where-that-sage/) [Charlie Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-day/) > [He is a despicable sage whose wisdom does not profit himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/he-is-a-despicable-sage-whose-wisdom-does-not-profit-himself/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [I started asking the big questions that I had asked in college, that my compatriots the Greek philosophers had asked, like 'what is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/i-started-asking-the-big-questions-that-i-had-asked-in-college-that/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [“What do you think Socrates meant when he said, “The unexamined life is not worth living”? Third,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/what-do-you-think-socrates-meant-when-he-said-the-unexamined-life-is/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“Socrates had it backward. He thought the unexamined life is not worth living. I think no one's life holds up to examination. The more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-dow/socrates-had-it-backward-he-thought-the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth/) [David R. Dow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-dow/) > [Life is not worth living if I cannot have pasta or bread again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-seles/life-is-not-worth-living-if-i-cannot-have-pasta-or-bread-again/) [Monica Seles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-seles/) > [The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." "This life is worth living, we can say, since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-great-use-of-life-is-to-spend-it-for-something-that-will-outlast/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [It is the greatest good for an individual to discuss virtue (aka areté) every day...for the unexamined life is not worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/it-is-the-greatest-good-for-an-individual-to-discuss-virtue-aka-aret/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Compared with more emotional types, Vermonters seem to have few passions. But those they have are great and burning. The greatest is their conviction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-canfield-fisher/compared-with-more-emotional-types-vermonters-seem-to-have-few/) [Dorothy Canfield Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-canfield-fisher/) > [I thought it was a stroke of genius that Hans Selye used the word stress, because it's true that if you don't know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/i-thought-it-was-a-stroke-of-genius-that-hans-selye-used-the-word/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-for-a-human-being/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“It is from the bystanders (who are in the vast majority) that we receive the propaganda that life is not worth living, that life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/it-is-from-the-bystanders-who-are-in-the-vast-majority-that-we/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [The uninvestigated life is not worth living. I don't want to live that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/the-uninvestigated-life-is-not-worth-living-i-don-t-want-to-live-that/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) ## More by Rodger Kamenetz > [Your dreams change. Initially the belly-buttons help establish the dreamer's predicament - the situation you are trapped in or held back by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/your-dreams-change-initially-the-belly-buttons-help-establish-the/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Direct religious experience is threatening to organized religion, which often mediates it with a rabbi or priest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/direct-religious-experience-is-threatening-to-organized-religion/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [ “So," Art \[Green\] said, "it's hard to do Judaism and travel light. Judaism is not mostly about letting go, but mostly about attachment to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/so-art-green-said-it-s-hard-to-do-judaism-and-travel-light-judaism-is/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [I'm too intellectual. I don't think that the theological vocabulary is as important as the experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/i-m-too-intellectual-i-don-t-think-that-the-theological-vocabulary-is/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [In our society, to be obsessed with a vision about how to make a better automobile makes you a genius, but to be obsessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/in-our-society-to-be-obsessed-with-a-vision-about-how-to-make-a/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Freud "interpreted" dreams by treating them as intellectual riddles whose details, once processed through free association, exposed hidden wishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/freud-interpreted-dreams-by-treating-them-as-intellectual-riddles/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“Our ancient sources of wisdom call on human beings to rise to their highest capacity and behave in extraordinarily open and generous ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/our-ancient-sources-of-wisdom-call-on-human-beings-to-rise-to-their/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“We can’t choose our poetic fathers any more than our biological ones — but we can choose how to come to terms with them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/we-can-t-choose-our-poetic-fathers-any-more-than-our-biological-ones/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Mainstream rabbis essentially closed the book on dreams by the sixth century, and Church fathers established that only certain saints have the discernment to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/mainstream-rabbis-essentially-closed-the-book-on-dreams-by-the-sixth/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“The preservation of Buddhism is preserving your own internal heart. If Tibetans became terrorists they might win back Tibet, but Buddhism would be destroyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/the-preservation-of-buddhism-is-preserving-your-own-internal-heart-if/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [A dream ignored is like a letter unopened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/a-dream-ignored-is-like-a-letter-unopened/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Historically, the rabbis are split on the question of dreams. None of them denied their power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/historically-the-rabbis-are-split-on-the-question-of-dreams-none-of/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“According to the Buddhist tradition,” he began, “there is no sort of conversion or missionary work. It is not good to ask someone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/according-to-the-buddhist-tradition-he-began-there-is-no-sort-of/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Dreams are at the foundation of all religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/dreams-are-at-the-foundation-of-all-religions/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) [Explore all 15 Rodger Kamenetz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The ancient sages said, ‘He who is angry—it is the same as if he worshiped idols.’ They also said, ‘One who yields to anger—if he is a sage, his wisdom departs from him; if he is a prophet, his prophetic gift departs from him.’ Those of an irate disposition—their life is not worth living.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rodger Kamenetz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-it-is-the-same-as-if-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-it-is-the-same-as-if-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/rodger-kamenetz-32290_anger_the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-i_3195075.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/rodger-kamenetz-32290_anger_the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-i_3195075.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/rodger-kamenetz-32290_anger_the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-i_3195075.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The ancient sages said, ‘He who is angry—it is the same as if he worshiped idols.’ They also said, ‘One who…” — Rodger Kamenetz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rodger Kamenetz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The ancient sages said, ‘He who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-it-is-the-same-as-if-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-it-is-the-same-as-if-he/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```