I need to put pressure on someone who is already angry and bitter.

How can I do it without stirring up a fresh dose of those? What must I do to exert this pressure in a way that doesn’t bring on a heavier cascade of contention?

Maybe it isn’t possible.

These thoughts come as a consequence of my Bible reading this morning. I “learned” a new word: miyts (pronounced meets). This noun means “pressure” and appears only three times in the Old Testament, all of them in Proverbs 30:33.

Here is the verse in three versions:

Surely he who stirs milk will get out butter, and he who blows his nose hard will get out blood; and he who provokes wrath will cause contention.

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

Ciertamente el que bate la leche sacará mantequilla, Y el que recio se suena las narices sacará sangre; Y el que provoca la ira causará contienda.

The first version is my translation of the third (which is Reina-Valera 1960).

Put pressure on someone who is already angry and you’ll surely get contention and strife. Continue reading →