30:33

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. Each of the underlined parts describes a particular action. Each of the parts in bold print describes the predictable result of this action.

33a For as the churning of milk yields butter,

33b and the twisting of the nose draws blood,

33c so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.

The parallel words “churning, twisting,” and “stirring” are all translations of the same Hebrew word. It means “pressing” or “squeezing.”

The three parallel verbs “yields, draws,” and “brings forth” are also translations of the same Hebrew verb. The Hebrew word is literally “causes to come out.”

In many languages, it will be necessary to use different terms for each occurrence of these two Hebrew words, as the Berean Standard Bible does.

In Hebrew, this verse is a metaphor. The three lines are more literally:

33a For the squeezing of milk produces butter,

33b and squeezing of a nose produces blood

33c and squeezing of anger produces strife.

The metaphor gives a reason for the warning to keep quiet in 30:32. The first two lines are parallel illustrations in the metaphor. The last line is the topic of the metaphor. This line gives the main point.

The metaphor compares the action of “stirring up anger” to the actions of “churning” milk and “twisting” someone’s nose. The similarity is that each of these actions produces predictable results. Before discussing different ways to translate the metaphor as a whole, the Notes will discuss each line separately.

30:33a

For as the churning of milk yields butter: There are two main ways to interpret the method described by churning of milk and the products that are produced:

(1) This line refers to the process of shaking milk in a skin bottle or bag until the bacteria inside the bag sours or curdles the milk. This sour or curdled milk is known as “leben” in Arabic, and Bedouins still serve it to their guests. It does not refer to butter. If this curdled milk is twisted in a cloth, it produces curds (also called cottage cheese or yogurt). For example:

For as pressing milk produces curds (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
For the stirring of milk brings forth curds (New American Bible)

(2) This line refers to the process of shaking milk or cream in a skin bottle or bag until it produces butter. This product refers only to butter. It is known as “leben/laban” in Arabic. For example:

Just as stirring milk makes butter (New Century Version)
-or-
If you churn milk, you get butter (Good News Translation)

The Meaning Lines in the Display will follow interpretation (1), along with most scholars. Butter is normally made from churning cream, not milk. Hebrew does not have a separate word for “cream,” and the Hebrew word for butter is also the word for “curds.”

However, most versions follow interpretation (2). It is recommended that you follow the interpretation that best fits the understanding and experience of people in your language area.

30:33b

and the twisting of the nose draws blood: This line means that squeezing, striking, or twisting a person’s nose causes it to bleed. Some other ways to translate this line are:

by wringing the nose you produce blood (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
and striking the nose causes bleeding (New Living Translation (2004))

30:33c

so the stirring of anger brings forth strife: This line refers to words or actions that cause people to become more and more angry. The inevitable result of increased anger is strife. This word may refer here to disagreements or quarrels. It may also refer to lawsuits in court. Some other ways to translate this line are:

so stirring up anger causes quarrels (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
If you stir up anger, you get into trouble. (Good News Translation)

30:33a–c

The note on 30:33 identified the three lines of this verse as a metaphor. Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

• Keep the metaphor. For example:

33a For pressing milk produces curds,

33b pressing the nose produces blood,

33c and pressing anger produces strife. (English Standard Version)

• Change the metaphor to a simile with a similar structure to the three lines of the Berean Standard Bible. For example:

33a For as the pressing of milk produces curd,

33b and the pressing of the nose produces blood,

33c so the pressing of anger leads to strife. (Revised English Bible)

• Keep the comparison but use a different structure. For example:

33a If you shake milk, it turns to curds.

33b If you twist someone’s nose, it bleeds.

33c Similarly, if you make people angry, there will be quarrels.

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