טוֹב כַּעַס מִשְֹּׂחוֹק, אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה אִלּוּ כָּעַס אַבָּא עַל אֲדוֹנִיָּה קִמְעָא, טוֹב הָיָה לוֹ מִשְֹּׂחוֹק שֶׁשָֹּׂחֲקָה עָלָיו מִדַּת הַדִּין, לָמָּה, כִּי בְרֹעַ פָּנִים יִיטַב לֵב, אִלּוּ הֵרַע לוֹ פָּנִים הֱבִיאוֹ לְמוּטָב, אֶלָּא, (מלכים א א, ו): וְלֹא עֲצָבוֹ אָבִיו מִיָּמָיו. וְכֵן אַמְנוֹן, טוֹב הָיָה לוֹ אִם כָּעַס דָּוִד אַבָּא עַל אַמְנוֹן קִמְעָא, מִשְֹּׂחוֹק שֶׁשָֹּׂחֲקָה עָלָיו מִדַּת הַדִּין, וְלָמָּה, כִּי בְרֹעַ פָּנִים יִיטַב לֵב, אֶלָּא (שמואל ב יג, לב): כִּי אַמְנוֹן לְבַדּוֹ מֵת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, טוֹב כַּעַס מִשְֹּׂחוֹק, טוֹב הָיָה אִלּוּ כָּעַס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, מִשְֹּׂחוֹק שֶׁשָֹּׂחֲקָה עֲלֵיהֶם מִדַּת הַדִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב כא, ח): זַרְעָם נָכוֹן לִפְנֵיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, טוֹב כַּעַס מִשְֹּׂחוֹק, טוֹב שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כּוֹעֵס עַל הַסְּדוֹמִים מִשְֹּׂחוֹק שֶׁשָֹּׂחֲקָה עֲלֵיהֶם מִדַּת הַדִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב כא, ח): בָּתֵּיהֶם שָׁלוֹם מִפָּחַד וגו'.
“Anger is better than laughter, as with a cross countenance the heart will be bettered” (Ecclesiastes 7:3). “Anger is better than laughter.” Solomon said: Had [my] father been a little angry at Adoniya, it would have been better for him than the laughter with which the attribute of justice mocked him. Why? It is because “with a cross countenance the heart will be bettered.” Had he shown him a cross countenance, he would have caused him to better his ways. Instead, “his father had never aggrieved him” (I Kings 1:6). Likewise regarding Amnon, had David his father been a little angry with him, it would have been better for him than the laughter which which the attribute of justice mocked him. Why? It is because “with a cross countenance the heart will be bettered.” Instead, “Amnon alone is dead” (II Samuel 13:32). Another matter, “anger is better than laughter” – had the Holy One blessed be He been angry at the generation of the Flood, it would have been better than the laughter with which the attribute of justice mocked them, as it is stated: “Their offspring are established before them” (Job 21:8). Another matter, “anger is better than laughter” – had the Holy One blessed be He been angry at the Sodomites, it would have been better than the laughter with which the attribute of justice mocked them, as it is stated: “Their houses are safe, without fear” (Job 21:9).