Proverbs

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:14a

Text (BHS):

כִּי טוֹב סַחְרָהּ מִסְּחַר־כָּסֶף

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

for the profit she gives* is better than the profit from silver

*The connection with "finding wisdom" in verse 1 suggests that the suffix should be construed as an objective genitive (i.e., "the gain of her"), but the connection with verses 3ff. indicates an agentive genitive (i.e., "the profit she gives"). The ambiguity is probably also intended in "profit of silver."

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כִּי טוֹב () : conj. כִּי (kı̂) + adj. טוֹב () : for [is] better.
סַחְרָהּ (saḥrāh) : noun סַחַר (saḥar) + 3 f.s. suffix : the gain of her/the profit she gives.
מִסְּחַר־כָּסֶף (missᵉḥar-kāsep̱) : prep. מִן (min) + construct of סַחַר (saḥar) + pausal vocalization of כֶּסֶף (kesep̱) : than the profit of silver.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:14b

Text (BHS):

וּמֵחָרוּץ תְּבוּאָתָהּ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

and her revenue than gold

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּמֵחָרוּץ () : conj. וּ () + prep. מִן (min) + poetic (paired with silver in verset A) חָרוּץ () : and than gold.
תְּבוּאָתָהּ () : noun תְּבוּאָה () + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : her revenue.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:15a

Text (BHS):

יְקָרָה הִיא מִפְּנִיִּים

Transliteration (Accordance):

yᵉqārāh hı̂ʾ mippᵉnı̂yı̂m

Translation (Waltke):

She is more precious than corals

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

יְקָרָה הִיא (yᵉqārāh hı̂ʾ) : adjective f.s. of יָקָר (yāqār) + feminine singular personal pronoun הִיא (hı̂ʾ) : she [is more] precious.
מִפְּנִיִּים (mippᵉnı̂yı̂m) : prep. מִן (min) + פְּנִינִים (pᵉnı̂nı̂m) : than corals (BDB).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:15b

Text (BHS):

וְכָל־חֲפָצֶיךָ לֹא יִשְׁווּ־בָהּ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

all desirable things* cannot compare with her

*The MT reads "your delights," but the ancient versions read "delights." Although the parallel in 8:11 could have influenced them, the direct address is out of place in this macarism about ʾāḏām (verses 13-18) in contrast to the concluding stanza addressed to the son (verses 21-26). In the preexilic angular script mem and kaph are graphically similar and so readily confounded, as can be seen in the transposition from brwm to brwk in Ezek. 3:12

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְכָל־חֲפָצֶיךָ () : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + construct of כֹּל (kōl) + plural of חֵפֶץ (ḥēp̱eṣ) + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : and all things to be desired (BDB).
לֹא יִשְׁווּ־בָהּ () : negation לֹא (lōʾ) + Qal imperfect 3 m.p. of שָׁוָה () + prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : cannot compare with her.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:16a

Text (BHS):

אֹרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ

Transliteration (Accordance):

ʾōreḵ yāmı̂m bı̂mı̂nāh

Translation (Waltke):

long life is in her right hand

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

אֹרֶךְ יָמִים (ʾōreḵ yāmı̂m) : construct אֹרֶךְ (ʾōreḵ) + plural of יוֹם () : length of days.
בִּימִינָהּ (bı̂mı̂nāh) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun יָמִין (yāmı̂n) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : [is] in her right hand.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:16b

Text (BHS):

בִּשְׂמֹאולָהּ עֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

in her left, wealth and honor.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בִּשְׂמֹאולָהּ (biśmōʾwlāh) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun שְׂמֹאול (śᵉmōʾwl) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : in her left hand.
עֹשֶׁר () : wealth.
וְכָבוֹד () : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + noun כָּבוֹד () : and honor.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:17a

Text (BHS):

דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹעַם

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

Her ways are pleasant ways

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

דְּרָכֶיהָ () : plural of דֶּרֶךְ (dereḵ) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : her ways.
דַרְכֵי () : plural construct of דֶּרֶךְ (dereḵ) : [are] ways of.
נֹעַם (nōʿam) : pleasantness.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:17b

Text (BHS):

וְכָל־נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

and all her byways are peace and prosperity.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְכָל (wᵉḵol) : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + construct of כֹּל (kōl) : and all.
נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ () : plural of נְתִיבָה (nᵉṯı̂ḇāh) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : her paths (BDB).
שָׁלוֹם () : [are] peace and prosperity*.

* Waltke, pages 240-41, quotes John Knox (Richmond, 1970) as saying that describes "a comprehensive kind of fulfillment or completion, indeed of a perfection in life and spirit which quite transcends any success which man alone, even under the best of circumstances, is able to obtain."

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:18a

Text (BHS):

עֵץ־חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ

Transliteration (Accordance):

ʿēṣ-ḥayyı̂m hı̂ʾ lammaḥᵃzı̂qı̂m bāh

Translation (TNIV):

She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

עֵץ־חַיִּים (ʿēṣ-ḥayyı̂m) : construct עֵץ (ʿēṣ) + חַיִּים (ḥayyı̂m) : a tree of life.
הִיא (hı̂ʾ) : personal pronoun 3 f.s. : she [is].
לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ (lammaḥᵃzı̂qı̂m bāh) : prep. לְ (lᵉ) + definite article + Hiphil m.p. participle of חָזַק (ḥāzaq) + prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : to those who take hold of her.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:18b

Text (BHS):

וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

and those who hold her fast* are each declared blessed.**

*Tmk means "to take hold of" or "to hold fast" (HALOT); the latter best serves the transition to "guard" in verse 21.
**Fichtner (BHS) retroverts plural from the Syriac and the Targum. GKC notes, however, that "the plural of persons (especially in the participle) is sometimes construed with the singular of the predicate when, instead of the whole class of individuals, each severally is to be represented as affected by the statement" (P. 145.1). The Pual is delocutive (IBHS. pp. 402-3, 419, PP. 24.2f.; 25.2).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְתֹמְכֶיהָ () : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + Qal m.p. participle of תָּמַךְ (tāmaḵ) + 3 f.s. suffix : and those who hold her fast.
מְאֻשָּׁר () : Pual of אָשַׁר () : are each declared blessed.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:19a

Text (BHS):

יְהוָה בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד־אָרֶץ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (RSV):

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

יְהוָה (YHWH) : proper name : Yahweh/the LORD.
בְּחָכְמָה () : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun חָכְמָה () : by wisdom.
יָסַד (yāsaḏ) : Qal perfect 3 m.s. founded.
אָרֶץ (ʾāreṣ) : pausal vocalization of אֶרֶץ (ʾereṣ) the earth.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:19b

Text (BHS):

כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (RSV):

by understanding he established the heavens;

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כּוֹנֵן () : Poel perfect 3 m.s. of כּוּן () : he established.
שָׁמַיִם () : dual : the heavens.
בִּתְבוּנָה () : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun תְּבוּנָה () : by understanding.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:20a

Text (BHS):

בְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (RSV):

by his knowledge the deeps broke forth

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בְּדַעְתּוֹ () : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun דַּעַת (daʿaṯ) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix וֹ () : by his knowledge.
תְּהוֹמוֹת () : the deeps.
נִבְקָעוּ () : Niphal perfect 3 c.p. of בָּקַע (bāqaʿ) : broke forth.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:20b

Text (BHS):

וּשְׁחָקִים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָל

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (NRSV):

and the clouds drop down the dew.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּשְׁחָקִים () : conj. וּ () + שַׁחַק () : and clouds.
יִרְעֲפוּ () : Qal imperfect 3 m.p. of רָעַף (rāʿap̱) : drip (BDB).
טָל (ṭāl) : pausal vocalization of טַל (ṭal) : dew.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 3:21a

Text (BHS):

בְּנִי אַל־יָלֻזוּ מֵעֵינֶיךָ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

My son, let them [wisdom and understanding] not depart from your eyes

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בְּנִי (bᵉnı̂) : noun בֵּן (bēn) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : my son.
אַל (ʾal) : emphatic negation : [do] not.
יָלֻזוּ () : Qal imperfect 3 m.p. of לוּז () : let them depart.
מֵעֵינֶיךָ () : prep. מִן (min) + plural of עַיִן (ʿayin) + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : from your eyes.