The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
Parallel translations
- WEB The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
- KJV The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
- NKJV The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
- NASB The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion; One who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
- NLT The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A king's terror is like a lion's roar; provoking him risks one's life. Wisdom counsels prudence before those in power.
Overview
Echoing 19:12, this proverb likens the dread a king inspires to the roaring of a lion and warns that provoking him to anger endangers one's very life. It counsels respectful prudence toward those who hold authority. Beyond earthly rulers, the verse reminds us of the fearfulness of provoking the King of kings, and the wisdom of seeking peace with God through Christ before the day of His wrath.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Prov 19:12A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
- Eccl 10:4If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
- 1 Kgs 2:23Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life.
- Prov 8:36But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
- Prov 16:14–15The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
- Amos 3:8The lion has roared—who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken—who will not prophesy?
- Hos 11:10They will walk after the LORD; He will roar like a lion. When He roars, His children will come trembling from the west.
- Hab 2:10You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life.
- Num 16:38As for the censers of those who sinned at the cost of their own lives, hammer them into sheets to overlay the altar, for these were presented before the LORD, and so have become holy. They will serve as a sign to the Israelites.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 20:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.