KJV: The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
ASV: The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
Matthew Henry Commentary
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
See here, 1. How formidable kings are, and what a terror they strike upon those they are angry with. Their fear, with which (especially when they are absolute and their will is a law) they keep their subjects in awe, is as the roaring of a lion, which is very dreadful to the creatures he preys upon, and makes them tremble so that they cannot escape from him. Those princes that rule by wisdom and love rule like God himself, and bear his image; but those that rule merely by terror, and with a high hand, do but rule like a lion in the forest, with a brutal power. Oderint, dum metuant--Let them hate, provided they fear. 2. How unwise therefore those are that quarrel with them, that are angry at them, and so provoke them to anger. They sin against their own lives. Much more do those do so that provoke the King of kings to anger. Nemo me impune lacesset--No one shall provoke me with impunity.
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