This saying is similar in thought to 16.14 and the first line of 19.12.

“The dread wrath of a king is like the growling of a lion”: This line is identical with the first line of 19.12, except that the Hebrew word for “anger” (New Revised Standard Version) there is replaced here by another meaning the “terror” or “dread”, which the king or chief inspires in a person. This is translated as an extreme form of anger by New Jerusalem Bible (“fury”) and New International Version (“wrath”); Revised English Bible follows the Septuagint rendering of “threat.” Good News Translation captures something of the sense of terror with “Fear an angry king. . ..” This anger that inspires terror may be easier to render in languages that have figurative expressions for being angry than it is in English. One good expression of it is “The angry hot insides of the king scare people like the great roar of a lion.” The word for the noise that a lion makes is translated “growling” by Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and some others, whereas New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, and others render it “roar” or “roaring.” See 19.12 for further comments on the roaring of lions. The important point in this simile is that the noise that a lion makes inspires fear in those who hear it; and translators should use a term or expression that is appropriate for that sense. One translation, for example, says “. . . a lion which is coming to eat you.” In parts of the world where lions are unknown, translators may consider using the name of a local large and fierce wild animal, or a general expression such as “wild animal.”

“He who provokes him to anger forfeits his life”: This line continues the thought of the first line by stating what the result will be for anyone who gets in the way of the king’s anger. “He who provokes him” is “whoever makes him angry” or “the one who angers him.” It may also be expressed as “If anyone makes him angry” or “If you. . ..” “Forfeits his life” is literally “sins against his soul,” that is, “sins against himself” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “harms himself.” But the sense is clearly that the person will lose his life or at least put his life in grave danger; so Revised English Bible has “puts his life in jeopardy” and Scott “. . . life is in danger.” Good News Translation is very direct: “making him angry is suicide”; likewise Contemporary English Version has “make either one angry and you are dead.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .