Tirukforbearance,thirukkural-On Virtue-Forbearance-forbearance,thirukkural 159

The householder, who practises forbearance in the face of insult Is purer than the ascetic himself.

No ascetic can reach the heights of virtue attained by a man who can practise forbearance even when provoked by insults.

The oft-quoted words of poet Alexander Pope 'To err is human; to forgive is divine', come to mind in this context.

Rev. G U Pope saw the virtue of forbearance as a Christian virtue, because Plato and Aristotle had not referred to it in their writings, and the Jews believed in retaliation 'eye for an eye' etc. but there is reference to this virtue in the Sangam literature of the Tamils, and the indications are that much store was set by the Tamil society of those days on forbearance.I have already quoted from Kalithogai and Natrini in this connection. Here is another from Naladiar.

Naerthu niharallaar neeralla solliyakaal
Vaerndhu vaekulaar vilumiyoar

(Naaladiyaar-64)

But it is Valluvar who has studied and recorded in minute detail all aspects of these virtues ad the glory that will surely come to those, who systematically practise it.

In the Bible there are many relevant passages but the one in which St Peter,m the first Apostle asked the Lord Jesus Christ, whether he should forgive seven times and Jesus replied 'until seventy times seven' is most appropriate.

(Matt. 18:22)