Proverbs

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:30a

Text (BHS):

לֹא־יָבוּזוּ לַגַּנָּב כִּי יִגְנוֹב

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

People do not despise a thief if he steals

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

לֹא־יָבוּזוּ () : negation לֹא (lōʾ) + Qal imperfect 3 m.p. of בּוּז () : people do not dispose.
לַגַּנָּב (laggannāḇ) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + definite article + noun גַּנָּב (gannāḇ) : a thief.
כִּי (kı̂) : if.
יִגְנוֹב () : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of גָּנַב (gānaḇ) : he steals.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:30b

Text (BHS):

לְמַלֵּא נַפְשׁוֹ כִּי יִרְעָב

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

לְמַלֵּא (lᵉmallēʾ) : prep. לְ (lᵉ) + Piel infinitive construct of מָלֵא (mālēʾ) : to satisfy.
נַפְשׁוֹ () : noun נֶפֶשׁ () + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : his appetite.
כִּי (kı̂) : when.
יִרְעָב (yirʿāḇ) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of רָעֵב (rāʿēḇ) : he is hungry.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:31a

Text (BHS):

וְנִמְצָא יְשַׁלֵּם שִׁבְעָתָיִם

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְנִמְצָא (wᵉnimṣāʾ) : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + Niphal perfect 3 m.s. of מָצָא (māṣāʾ) : but if he is caught.
יְשַׁלֵּם () : Piel imperfect 3 m.s. of שָׁלֵם () : he will repay.
שִׁבְעָתָיִם () : noun feminine dual pausal vocalization : sevenfold.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:31b

Text (BHS):

אֶת־כָּל־הוֹן בֵּיתוֹ יִתֵּן

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

though it costs him all the wealth of his house.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

אֶת (ʾeṯ) : direct object indicator.
כָּל (kol) : construct of כֹּל (kōl) : all (of).
הוֹן () : construct : (the) wealth (of).
בֵּיתוֹ () : noun בַּיִת (ḇayiṯ) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : his house.
יִתֵּן (yittēn) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of נָתַן (nāṯan) : he will give.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:32a

Text (BHS):

נֹאֵף אִשָּׁה חֲסַר־לֵב

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

But a man who commits adultery has no sense

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

נֹאֵף (nōʾēp̱) : Qal participle of נָאַף (nāʾap̱) : one who commits adultery (usually of man, always with wife of another ―BDB)
אִשָּׁה () : (with a) : wife.
חֲסַר (ḥᵃsar-) : adjective construct of חָסֵר (ḥāsēr) : [is] in want/lack of.
לֵב (lēḇ-) : understanding/sense.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:32b

Text (BHS):

מַשְׁחִית נַפְשׁוֹ הוּא יַעֲשֶׂנָּה

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

whoever does so destroys himself.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

מַשְׁחִית () : Hiphil participle of שָׁחַת () : destroys.
נַפְשׁוֹ () : noun נֶפֶשׁ () + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : his life/himself.
הוּא () : personal pronoun 3 m.s. he.
יַעֲשֶׂנָּה (yaʿᵃśennā) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of עָשָׂה (ʿāśāh) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : (who) does it.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:33a

Text (BHS):

נֶגַע־וְקָלוֹן יִמְצָא

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (NRSV):

He will get wounds and dishonor,

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

נֶגַע (neg̱aʿ ) : singular noun : a stroke, wound inflicted by man on man (BDB).
וְקָלוֹן () : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + noun קָלוֹן () : and dishonor, disgrace.
יִמְצָא (yimṣāʾ) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of מָצָא (māṣāʾ) : he will find/get

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:33b

Text (BHS):

וְחֶרְפָּתוֹ לֹא תִמָּחֶה

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (NRSV):

and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְחֶרְפָּתוֹ () : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + noun חֶרְפָּה (ḥerp̱āh) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : and his shame/disgrace.
לֹא (lōʾ) : negation : (will) not.
תִמָּחֶה (ṯimmāḥeh) : Niphal imperfect 3 f.s. of מָחָה (māḥāh) : be removed/wiped away.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:34a

Text (BHS):

כִּי־קִנְאָה חֲמַת־גָּבֶר

Transliteration (Accordance):

kı̂-qinʾāh ḥᵃmaṯ-gāḇer

Translation (NRSV):
Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כִּי (kı̂) : for.
קִנְאָה (qinʾāh) : jealously.
חֲמַת (ḥᵃmaṯ) : construct of חֵמָה (ḥēmāh) : [arouses] the fury of.
גָּבֶר (gāḇer) : pausal vocalization of גֶּבֶר (geḇer) : a man [as strong, distinguished from women, children, and non-combatants, whom he is to defend, chiefly poetic ―BDB].

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:34b

Text (BHS):

וְלֹא־יַחְמוֹל בְּיוֹם נָקָם

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (NRSV):

and he shows no restraint when he takes revenge.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְלֹא־יַחְמוֹל () : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + negation לֹא (lōʾ) + Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of חָמַל (ḥāmal) : and he will not spare.
בְּיוֹם () : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun construct יוֹם () : on the day of.
נָקָם (nāqām) : vengeance.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:35a

Text (BHS):

לֹא־יִשָּׂא פְּנֵי כָל־כֹּפֶר

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

He will not accept any compensation

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

לֹא־יִשָּׂא (lōʾ-yiśśāʾ) : negation לֹא (lōʾ) + Qal imperfect 3 m.s of נָשָׂא (nāśāʾ) : he will not regard (BDB).
פְּנֵי כָל־כֹּפֶר () : plural construct of פָּנֶה (p̱āneh "face") + construct of כֹּל (ḵōl "all/any") + כֹּפֶר (kōp̱er "a price for ransom of a life" BDB) : any ransom.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 6:35b

Text (BHS):

וְלֹא־יֹאבֶה כִּי תַרְבֶּה־שֹׁחַד

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (NJB):

lavish what gifts you may, he will not be placated.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְלֹא־יֹאבֶה (wᵉlōʾ-yōʾḇeh) : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + negation לֹא (lōʾ) + Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of אָבָה (ʾāḇāh) : (of jealous man BDB) : he will not consent.
כִּי (kı̂) : : though.
תַרְבֶּה (ṯarbeh) : Hiphil imperfect 2 m.s. of רָבַה (rāḇah) : you multiply.
שֹׁחַד () : (BDB) : a bribe

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:1

Text (BHS):

בְּנִי שְׁמֹר אֲמָרָי

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

My son, keep my words

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בְּנִי (bᵉnı̂) : noun בֵּן (ḇēn) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : my son.
שְׁמֹר () : Qal imperative 2 m.s. of שָׁמַר () : keep.
אֲמָרָי (ʾᵃmārāy) : plural of אֵמֶר (ʾēmer) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : my words

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:1b

Text (BHS):

וּמִצְוֹתַי תִּצְפֹּן אִתָּךְ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (TNIV):

and store up my commands within you.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּמִצְוֹתַי () : conjunction וּ () + plural of מִצְוָה (miṣwāh) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : and my commands.
תִּצְפֹּן (tiṣpōn) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of צָפַן (ṣāp̱an) : store up.
אִתָּךְ (ʾittāḵ) : preposition אֵת (ʾēṯ) + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : with you.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7 between verses 1 & 2

Waltke footnote:

The LXX adds between verses 1 and 2, "My son, fear the Lord and thou shalt be strong, and beside him fear no other" (cf. 3:7, 9; 14:26). The addition is out of keeping with the context, which aims to fasten the son to the father's teaching against the adulteress's smooth words (Toy, Proverbs, p. 44).