Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
Just as churning milk produces butter, and twisting someone's nose makes it bleed, so stirring up anger leads to fighting and conflict.
The writer is teaching that just like physical actions have predictable results, provoking anger will inevitably lead to conflict and trouble.
📚 Historical Context
This proverb comes from the book of Proverbs, specifically from the sayings of Agur in chapter 30, which is part of the Old Testament's Wisdom Literature meant to impart practical life lessons. In ancient Israelite culture, everyday activities like churning milk to make butter and squeezing the nose to cause bleeding were common experiences that illustrated natural cause-and-effect principles. The verse uses these familiar analogies to emphasize the predictable outcomes of human actions, such as stirring up anger.
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