Proverbs 17:12
New International Version
Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.

New Living Translation
It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.

English Standard Version
Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly.

Berean Standard Bible
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

King James Bible
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

New King James Version
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.

New American Standard Bible
Let a person meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his foolishness.

NASB 1995
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.

NASB 1977
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.

Amplified Bible
Let a man meet a [ferocious] bear robbed of her cubs Rather than the [angry, narcissistic] fool in his folly.

Christian Standard Bible
Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his foolishness.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his foolishness.

American Standard Version
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Anxiety and fear fall to a wise man, and to a fool in his insanity.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Care may befall a man of understanding; but fools will meditate evils.

Contemporary English Version
A bear robbed of her cubs is far less dangerous than a stubborn fool.

Douay-Rheims Bible
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than a fool trusting in his own folly.

English Revised Version
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Better to meet a bear robbed of its cubs than a fool [carried away] with his stupidity.

Good News Translation
It is better to meet a mother bear robbed of her cubs than to meet some fool busy with a stupid project.

International Standard Version
It's better to meet a mother bear who has lost her cubs than a fool in his stupidity.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.

Literal Standard Version
The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, | And—not a fool in his folly.

Majority Standard Bible
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

New American Bible
Face a bear robbed of her cubs, but never fools in their folly!

NET Bible
It is better for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs, than to encounter a fool in his folly.

New Revised Standard Version
Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs than to confront a fool immersed in folly.

New Heart English Bible
Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

World English Bible
Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

Young's Literal Translation
The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And -- not a fool in his folly.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Better a Dry Morsel in Quietness
11An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly. 13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.…

Cross References
2 Samuel 17:8
He continued, "You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops.

Proverbs 17:11
An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Proverbs 29:9
If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution.

Hosea 13:8
Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lion, like a wild beast would tear them apart.


Treasury of Scripture

Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

a bear

Proverbs 28:15
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

2 Samuel 17:8
For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

2 Kings 2:24
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

rather

Proverbs 27:3
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.

Matthew 2:16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

Jump to Previous
Acting Bear Bereaved Better Cubs Face Folly Fool Foolish Foolishly Meet Meeting Ones Rather Robbed She-Bear Whelps Young
Jump to Next
Acting Bear Bereaved Better Cubs Face Folly Fool Foolish Foolishly Meet Meeting Ones Rather Robbed She-Bear Whelps Young
Proverbs 17
1. Contrasts between the Righteous and the Wicked














(12) A bear robbed of her whelps.--Proverbially dangerous then (2Samuel 17:8; Hosea 13:8). (See also 1Kings 2:24.)

A fool (khesil).--Comp. Proverbs 1:32.

Verse 12. - Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man. The Syrian bear was once common throughout Palestine; it is now found in but few localities, such as the hills of Hermon and Lebanon, and in the hills east of the Jordan, the destruction of wood and forest having deprived these animals of the shelter necessary to their existence. The ferocity of the bear when deprived of its young had become proverbial (see 2 Samuel 17:8; Hosea 13:8; Hart, 'Animals of the Bible,' 28, etc.). Rather than a fool in his folly; i.e. in the paroxysm of his passion. Compare Saul's ungoverned language to Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:30), and Herod's murder of the children (Matthew 2:16). So we read of the people being filled with ἄνοια against Jesus (Luke 6:11). Oort supposes that this proverb arose from the riddle, "What is worse to meet than a bear?" Septuagint, "Care will fall upon a man of understanding; but fools imagine evils." The Greek translators take "bear" as us d metaphorically for terror and anxiety, but go far astray from the Hebrew text.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[It is better]
בְּאִ֑ישׁ (bə·’îš)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

to meet
פָּג֬וֹשׁ (pā·ḡō·wōš)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 6298: To come in contact with, to concur

a bear
דֹּ֣ב (dōḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1677: The bear

robbed of her cubs
שַׁכּ֣וּל (šak·kūl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7909: Childless

than
וְאַל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

a fool
כְּ֝סִ֗יל (kə·sîl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool

in his folly.
בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ (bə·’iw·wal·tōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 200: Silliness


Links
Proverbs 17:12 NIV
Proverbs 17:12 NLT
Proverbs 17:12 ESV
Proverbs 17:12 NASB
Proverbs 17:12 KJV

Proverbs 17:12 BibleApps.com
Proverbs 17:12 Biblia Paralela
Proverbs 17:12 Chinese Bible
Proverbs 17:12 French Bible
Proverbs 17:12 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Proverbs 17:12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 17:11
Top of Page
Top of Page