What does Proverbs 22:24 mean?

This advice counsels against becoming closely associated with someone who cannot control their temper. The more closely one is connected to an easily angered person, the more risk they experience. The two parts of this verse seem to imply that both friendship and even business dealings are to be avoided. That doesn't mean we should never interact at all with anyone who has a temper (1 Corinthians 5:9–10). Rather, it means we should seek to avoid such persons as much as we can.

The following verse details some of the ways in which a "hothead," or an anger-prone person, brings trouble. Bad tempers can lead to fights and drag others into them (Proverbs 29:22). Those who lose control of their tempers often accumulate enemies who not only oppose the hothead (Proverbs 14:17), but naturally come to hate anyone associated with them. Further, maintaining an intimate friendship with such a person means accepting a bad influence (Proverbs 13:20). Their bad temper can corrupt others into acting the same way (1 Corinthians 15:33).

The Bible clearly warns against unrighteous anger. Not all anger is immoral, as Paul stated, "Be angry and do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26). Yet anger is closely tied to sinful attitudes. Further in the same chapter Paul commands: "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice" (Ephesians 4:31). Associating closely with a wrathful person also contradicts the broad concept behind 2 Corinthians 6:14: "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"