Proverbs

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:8b

Text (BHS):

אָגְרָה בַקָּצִיר מַאֲכָלָהּ

Transliteration (Accordance):

ʾāg̱ᵉrāh ḇaqqāṣı̂r maʾᵃḵālāh

Translation (Waltke):

it gathers in its food in the harvest.*

*The LXX adds a longer consideration about the bee, whose industrial and respected acquisitions in spite of its unseemly appearance can be an example for humans.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

אָגְרָה (ʾāg̱ᵉrāh) : Qal perfect 3 f.s. of אָגַר (ʾāg̱ar) : she/it gathers.
בַקָּצִיר (ḇaqqāṣı̂r) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + קָצִיר (qāṣı̂r) : in harvest.
מַאֲכָלָהּ (maʾᵃḵālāh) : noun מַאֲכָל (maʾᵃḵāl) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : her/its food.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:9a

Text (BHS):

עַד־מָתַי עָצֵל תִּשְׁכָּב

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

How long, you sluggard, will you keep lying down?

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

עַד־מָתַי (ʿaḏ-māṯay) : prep. עַד (ʿaḏ) + adverb מָתַי (māṯay) : until when?/how long?
עָצֵל (ʿāṣēl) : sluggard.
תִּשְׁכָּב () : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. (pausal vocalization) of שָׁכַב () : will you keep lying down?

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:9b

Text (BHS):

מָתַי תָּקוּם מִשְּׁנָתֶךָ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

When will you rise from your sleep?

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

מָתַי (māṯay) : "[until] how long?"/when?
תָּקוּם () : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of קוּם () : will you arise.
מִשְּׁנָתֶךָ () : prep. מִן (min) + noun שֵׁנָה () + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : from your sleep?

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:10a

Text (BHS):

מְעַט שֵׁנוֹת מְעַט תְּנוּמוֹת

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

A little sleep, a little slumber

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

מְעַט שֵׁנוֹת () : substantive מְעַט (mᵉʿaṭ) + construct of שֵׁנָה () : a little sleep.
מְעַט תְּנוּמוֹת () : substantive מְעַט (mᵉʿaṭ) + plural of תְּנוּמָה () : a little slumber.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:10b

Text (BHS):

מְעַט חִבֻּק יָדַיִם לִשְׁכָּב

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

a little folding of the arms to lie down

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

מְעַט (mᵉaṭ) : substantive מְעַט (mᵉʿaṭ) : a little.
חִבֻּק יָדַיִם (ḥibbuq yāḏayim) : noun construct חִבֻּק (ḥibbuq) + dual of יָד (yāḏ) : folding of the arms.
לִשְׁכָּב () : prep. לְ (lᵉ) + Qal infinitive construct (pausal vocalization) of שָׁכַב () : to lie down.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:11a

Text (BHS):

וּבָא־כִמְהַלֵּךְ רֵאשֶׁךָ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

and your poverty will come upon you like a vagrant

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּבָא () : conjunction וּ () + Qal perfect 3 m.s. of בּוֹא () : and will come.
כִמְהַלֵּךְ (ḵimhallēḵ) : preposition כְּ (kᵉ) + Piel participle of הָלַךְ (hālaḵ) : like a vagabond.
רֵאשֶׁךָ () : noun רִישׁ () + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : your poverty.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:11b

Text (BHS):

וּמַחְסֹרְךָ כְּאִישׁ מָגֵן

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

your scarcity like an armed man.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּמַחְסֹרְךָ () : conj. וּ () + noun מַחְסוֹר () + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : and your poverty.
כְּאִישׁ מָגֵן () : prep. כְּ (kᵉ) + noun construct אִישׁ () + noun מָגֵן (māg̱ēn) like an armed man.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:12a

Text (BHS):

אָדָם בְּלִיַּעַל אִישׁ אָוֶן

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

An insurrectionist, a malevolent person

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

אָדָם בְּלִיַּעַל (ʾāḏām bᵉlı̂aʿal) : noun construct אָדָם (ʾāḏām) + noun בְּלִיַּעַל (bᵉlı̂aʿal) : a trouble-making person.
אִישׁ אָוֶן () : noun construct אִישׁ () + noun אָוֶן (ʾāwen) : a malevolent man.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:12b

Text (BHS):

הוֹלֵךְ עִקְּשׁוּת פֶּה

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

is one who goes* with a crooked mouth

*Possibly, "a trouble-maker is a sinister person who goes...

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

הוֹלֵךְ () : Qal participle of הָלַךְ (hālaḵ) : [is] one who goes.
עִקְּשׁוּת פֶּה () : noun construct עִקְּשׁוּת () + noun פֶּה (peh) : [with] crookedness of mouth.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:13a

Text (BHS):

קֹרֵץ בְּעֵינָיו מֹלֵל בְּרַגְלָו

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

maliciously winks his eyes,* shuffles his feet**

*Kethib reads singular "eye"; Qere reads probably dual (...).
**Literally "with the feet." Kethib reads singular "foot"; Qere reads probably dual (...).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

קֹרֵץ (qōrēṣ) : Qal participle of קָרַץ (qāraṣ) : maliciously winks.
בְּעֵינָיו () : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + dual of noun עַיִן (ʿayin) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : with his eyes.
מֹלֵל (mōlēl) : Qal participle of מָלַל (mālal) : shuffles.
בְּרַגְלָו (bᵉrag̱lā) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun רֶגֶל (reg̱el) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : with his feet.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:13b

Text (BHS):

מֹרֶה בְּאֶצְבְּעֹתָיו

Transliteration (Accordance):

mōreh bᵉʾeṣbᵉʿōṯāyw

Translation (Waltke):

and points his fingers.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

מֹרֶה (mōreh) : Hiphil participle of יָרָה (yārāh) : [and] points,
בְּאֶצְבְּעֹתָיו (bᵉʾeṣbᵉʿōṯāyw) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + plural of אֶצְבַּע (ʾeṣbaʿ) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : [with] his fingers.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:14a

Text (BHS):

תַּהְפֻּכוֹת בְּלִבּוֹ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

Perversions are in his heart

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

תַּהְפֻּכוֹת () : feminine plural of תַּהְפֻּכָה (tahpuḵāh) : perversions.
בְּלִבּוֹ () : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun לֵב (lēḇ) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : [are] in his heart.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:14b

Text (BHS):

חֹרֵשׁ רָע בְּכָל־עֵת

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

he plans evil at all times

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

חֹרֵשׁ () : Qal participle of חָרַשׁ () : planning/he plans.
רָע (rāʿ) : pausal vocalization of noun רַע (raʿ) : evil.
בְּכָל־עֵת (bᵉḵol-ʿēṯ) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + construct of כֹּל (ḵōl) + noun עֵת (ʿēṯ) : "in all time" = at all times.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:14c

Text (BHS):

מְדָנִים [מִדְיָנִים] יְשַׁלֵּחַ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

He unleashes conflicts.*

*Kethib reads mᵉḏānı̂m (cf. 6:19; 10:12) but in 18:19; 21:19; 23:29; 25;24; 26:21; 27:15; Qere reads miḏyānı̂m (so also Kethib in 18:18; 21:9) with no difference in meaning.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

מְדָנִים [מִדְיָנִים] (mᵉḏānı̂m [miḏyānı̂m]) : plural of מָדוֹן () : conflicts/contentions.
יְשַׁלֵּחַ () : Piel imperfect 3 m.s. of שָׁלַח () : he unleashes.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:15a

Text (BHS):

עַל־כֵּן פִּתְאֹם יָבוֹא אֵידוֹ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

Therefore suddenly* his calamity will come

*Piṯʾōm ("suddenly") is an adverbial form of the root peṯaʿ, ("in an instant").

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

עַל־כֵּן (al-kēn) : prep. עַל (al) + adverb כֵּן (kēn) : therefore.
פִּתְאֹם (piṯʾōm) : suddenly.
יָבוֹא () : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of בּוֹא () : will come.
אֵידוֹ () : noun אֵיד () + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : his calamity.