Proverbs 30:33

33 As churning milk produces butter and punching a nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces a fight.

Proverbs 30:33 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 30:33

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter
Or the pressing of it. This is a thing well known and certain, that of milk, when pressed out of the udder, and put into a churn, and there is shook together, by a constant violent agitation or motion, called churning, butter is produced; and cheese is sometimes called pressed milk ^F25, and is pressed with the runnet, and by the hand also ^F26; and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood:
a too violent compression of it, or forcible blowing of it, in order to purge it from any impurity in it; instead of doing which it may break the tender skin, and bring forth blood, which may be of bad consequence; so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife;
irritating the passions of men, and provoking them by scurrilous and reproachful words to wrath and anger, produce contentions, feuds, and lawsuits, which are not soon and easily ended; and therefore such a conduct should be carefully avoided. The same word is used in the three clauses, and signifies pressing, squeezing, forcing.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 "Pressi copia lactis", Virgil. Bucolic. eclog. 1. v. 82. "Et lactia massa coacti", Ovid. Metamorph. l. 8. v. 666.
F26 "Causem bubulum manu presssum", Sueton. in Octav. c. 76.

Proverbs 30:33 In-Context

31 a strutting rooster, a male goat, a king at the head of his army.

32 If you are such a godless fool as to honor yourself, or if you scheme, you had better put your hand over your mouth.

33 As churning milk produces butter and punching a nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces a fight.