暴虎馮河

The earliest reference was attested in the Classic of Poetry, poem 195 (《詩經·小雅·小旻》), in the negative :

不敢暴虎，不敢馮河。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]

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不敢暴虎，不敢冯河。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Bùgǎn bàohǔ, bùgǎn pínghé. [Pinyin]

They dare not without weapons attack a tiger;
They dare not without a boat cross the He.

The literal meaning was also commented upon in the Erya, likely quoting from Kong Anguo's commentary on the Analects.

暴虎馮河

1. (figurative) bull-headed heroism

   • 暴虎馮河，死而無悔者，吾不與也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     暴虎冯河，死而无悔者，吾不与也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Bàohǔpínghé, sǐ ér wúhuǐ zhě, wú bù yǔ yě. [Pinyin]

     He who will unarmed attack a tiger, or cross a river without a boat, dying without any regret, I would not have act with me.