Proverbs 17:12 - Meaning and Application

A passionate man acts like a brute. At other times he may show some wisdom, but let him be left to his anger, and he becomes a fool in the full force of his foolishness. Those are fools whose hearts are filled with anger and whose faces show it plainly. He has, as it were, laid aside his humanity and become like a bear, even a bear robbed of her cubs. He clings to the things he desires and craves with the same fierce attachment a bear has for her cubs, ugly as they may be, and he pursues them with the same eagerness when they are taken away. If anyone gets in his way, he is filled with rage.

He is also a dangerous man, striking out at everyone in his path, even if they are innocent or friendly. A bear robbed of her cubs will attack the first person she meets, whether that person caused the loss or not. Anger is a brief kind of madness. It is easier to stop, escape from, or protect yourself against an angry bear than against a furious man. So we should watch our own tempers, lest they gain control and do harm, and in that way preserve our own honor. We should also avoid the company of violent people, and move out of their way when they are enraged, and in that way preserve our own safety.