Proverbs

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:1b

Text (BHS):

בֵּ֣ן חָ֭כָם יְשַׂמַּח־אָ֑ב

Transliteration (Accordance):

bēn ḥāḵām yᵉśammaḥ-ʾāḇ

Translation (Waltke):

A wise son makes his* father glad

*“His” is gapped in verset A (see M. Dahood, Psalms III: 101–150 [AB; Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1970], pp. 429–30).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בֵּ֣ן חָ֭כָם (bēn ḥāḵām) : noun בֵּ֣ן (bēn) + adjective חָ֭כָם (ḥāḵām) : a wise son.
יְשַׂמַּח־אָ֑ב (yᵉśammaḥ-ʾāḇ) : Piel perfect 3 m.s. of שָׂמַח (śāmaḥ) + noun אָ֑ב (āḇ) : makes glad [his]* father.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:1c

Text (BHS):

וּבֵ֥ן כְּ֝סִ֗יל תּוּגַ֥ת אִמּֽוֹ

Transliteration (Accordance):

űḇēn kᵉsı̂l tűg̱aṯ ʾimmô

Translation (Waltke):

but a foolish* son brings** grief*** to**** his mother.

*Literally “a son, a fool.”
**Literally “is grief.” The nominal clause signifies “total grief” (cf. 3:6; 8:6, 30).
***Tűgâ refers to fundamental sorrow in reaction to pain, suffering, and/or affliction, not to an isolated pain of body and/or mind.
****A genitive of mediated object (IBHS, p. 144, P. 9.5.2d).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּבֵ֥ן כְּ֝סִ֗יל (űḇēn kᵉsı̂l) : conj. וּ (ű) + noun בֵ֥ן (ḇēn) + noun כְּ֝סִ֗יל (kᵉsı̂l) : but a son [who is] a fool.
תּוּגַ֥ת אִמּֽוֹ (tűg̱aṯ ʾimmô) : construct of תּוּגָה (tűg̱āh) (poetic) + אֵם (ʾēm) + 3 m.s. suffix : [is] a sorrow to his mother.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:2a

Text (BHS):

לֹא־י֭וֹעִילוּ אוֹצְר֣וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע

Transliteration (Accordance):

lōʾ-yôʿı̂lű ʾôṣᵉrôṯ rešaʿ

Translation (Waltke):

Treasures gained by wickedness are of no eternal value.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

לֹא־י֭וֹעִילוּ (lōʾ-yôʿı̂lű) : negation לֹא (lōʾ) + Hiphil imperfect 3 m.p. of יָעַל (yāʿal) : do not profit.
אוֹצְר֣וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע (ʾôṣᵉrôṯ rešaʿ) : plural construct of אוֹצָר (ʾôṣār) + noun רֶשַׁע (rešaʿ) : treasures gained by wickedness.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:2b

Text (BHS):

וּצְדָקָ֗ה תַּצִּ֥יל מִמָּֽוֶת

Transliteration (Accordance):

űṣᵉḏāqāh taṣṣı̂l mimmāweṯ

Translation (Waltke):

but righteousness* delivers from death.

*The feminine form of ṣdq to contrast with the masculine form of ršʿ (see A. Berlin, The Dynamics of Biblical Parallelism [Bloomington: Indiana University, 1985], pp. 41–50; IBHS, p. 106, P. 6.4.3a).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּצְדָקָ֗ה (űṣᵉḏāqāh) : conjunction וּ (ű) + noun צְדָקָ֗ה (ṣᵉḏāqāh) : but righteousness.
תַּצִּ֥יל (taṣṣı̂l) : Hiphil imperfect 3 f.s. of נָצַל (nāṣal) : delivers.
מִמָּֽוֶת (mimmāweṯ) : preposition מִן (min) + noun מָוֶת (māweṯ) : from death.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:3a

Text (BHS):

לֹֽא־יַרְעִ֣יב יְ֭הוָה נֶ֣פֶשׁ צַדִּ֑יק

Transliteration (Accordance):

lōʾ-yarʿı̂ḇ YHWH nep̱eš ṣaddı̂q

Translation (Waltke):

The LORD does not let the appetite of the righteous go unsatisfied

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

לֹֽא־יַרְעִ֣יב (lōʾ-yarʿı̂ḇ) : negation לֹֽא (lōʾ) + Hiphil imperfect 2 m.s. of רָעֵב (rāʿēḇ) : does not ... let go hungry/unsatisfied.
הוָה (YHWH) : the LORD/Yahweh.
נֶ֣פֶשׁ צַדִּ֑יק (nep̱eš ṣaddı̂q) : construct of נֶ֣פֶשׁ (nep̱eš) + noun צַדִּ֑יק (ṣaddı̂q) : the appetite of the righteous.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:3b

Text (BHS):

וְהַוַּ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים יֶהְדֹּֽף

Transliteration (Accordance):

wᵉhawwaṯ rᵉšāʿı̂m yehdōp̱

Translation (Waltke):

but what the wicked* crave he thrusts aside

*Plural to contrast with singular ṣaddı̂q (A. Berlin, Dynamics of Biblical Parallelism, pp. 41–50).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְהַוַּ֖ת (wᵉhawwaṯ) : conjunction וְ(wᵉ) + construct of הַוָּה (hawwā) + plural of רְשָׁעִ֣ (rᵉšāʿi) : but the craving of the wicked.
יֶהְדֹּֽף (yehdōp̱) : Hiphil imperfect 3 f.s. of הָדַף (hāḏap̱) : he thwarts.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:4a

Text (BHS):

רָ֗אשׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה כַף־רְמִיָּ֑ה

Transliteration (Accordance):

rāʾš ʿōśeh ḵap̱-rᵉmı̂ā

Translation (Waltke):

A poor person is made with a slack palm,

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

רָ֗אשׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה (rāʾš ʿōśeh) : noun רָ֗אשׁ (rāʾš) + participle of עָשָׂה (ʿāśāh) : a poor person [is] made.
כַף־רְמִיָּ֑ה (ḵap̱-rᵉmı̂ā) : construct כַף (ḵap̱) + noun רְמִיָּ֑ה (rᵉmı̂ā) : [with] a palm of slackness.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:4b

Text (BHS):

וְיַ֖ד חָרוּצִ֣ים תַּעֲשִֽׁיר

Transliteration (Accordance):

wᵉyaḏ ḥārűṣı̂m taʿᵃšı̂r

Translation (Waltke):

but the hand of diligent people* brings wealth.

*BDB (p. 358, s.v. I ḥāraṣ) derive the word from III ḥāraṣ “to cut, sharpen, decide.” D. Freedman and J. R. Lundbom (TDOT, 5:218, s.v. ḥāraṣ) say, “In the book of Proverbs, ḥārűṣ generally refers to the sharp individual” and gloss it by “alert, discerning, thoughtful,” but HALOT (1:352, s.v. VI ḥāraṣ), on the basis of Semitic cognates, glosses it by “assiduous, diligent.”

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְיַ֖ד חָרוּצִ֣ים (wᵉyaḏ ḥārűṣı̂m) : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + construct יַ֖ד (yaḏ) + plural of adj. חָרוּץ (ḥārűṣ) : but the hand of diligent people.
תַּעֲשִֽׁיר (taʿᵃšı̂r) : Hiphil imperfect 3 f.s. of עָשַׁר (ʿāšar) : brings wealth.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:5a

Text (BHS):

אֹגֵ֣ר בַּ֭קַּיִץ בֵּ֣ן מַשְׂכִּ֑יל

Transliteration (Accordance):

ʾōg̱ēr baqqayiṣ bēn maśkı̂l

Translation (Waltke):

He who gathers [his food]* in summer is a prudent son

*The implied object is supplied from the parallel in 6:8.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

אֹגֵ֣ר בַּ֭קַּיִץ (ʾōg̱ēr baqqayiṣ) : Qal participle of אָגַר (ʾāg̱ar) + prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + definite article + noun קִיץ (qı̂ṣ) : he who gathers in summer.
בֵּ֣ן (bēn) : a son.
מַשְׂכִּ֑יל (maśkı̂l) : Hiphil participle of שָׂכַל (śāḵal) : is prudent.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:5b

Text (BHS):

נִרְדָּ֥ם בַּ֝קָּצִ֗יר בֵּ֣ן מֵבִֽישׁ

Transliteration (Accordance):

nirdām baqqāṣı̂r bēn mēḇı̂š

Translation (Waltke):

he who sleeps in harvest is a shameful* son.

*The Hiphil could be an elliptical, two-place Hiphil (i.e., he causes [his parents] to be disgraced) or a one-place Hiphil, in which case the internal Hiphil may be delocutive, i.e., “a son who causes himself to be esteemed/declared/recognized as shameful” (IBHS, pp. 437–40, PP. 27.2d, e, f).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

נִרְדָּ֥ם בַּ֝קָּצִ֗יר (nirdām baqqāṣı̂r) : Niphal participle of רָדַם (rāḏam) + prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + definite article + noun קָצִיר (qāṣı̂r) : he who sleeps in harvest.
בֵּן (bēn) : a son.
מֵבִֽישׁ (mēḇı̂š) : Hiphil participle of בּוֹשׁ (bôš) : brings shame.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:6a

Text (BHS):

בְּרָכוֹת לְרֹ֣אשׁ צַדִּ֑יק

Transliteration (Accordance):

bᵉrāḵôṯ lᵉrōʾš ṣaddı̂q

Translation (Waltke):

Blessings* come to** the head of the righteous

*The LXX (so also Vulgate) paraphrases “the blessing of the LORD” (see 10:22), but the Targum reads plural with the MT.
**The verb of motion is elided with the preposition lamed (IBHS, p. 224, P. 11.4.3d).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בְּרָכוֹת (bᵉrāḵôṯ) : plural ― of בְּרָכָה (bᵉrāḵāh) ― : blessings.
לְרֹ֣אשׁ צַדִּ֑יק (lᵉrōʾš ṣaddı̂q) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + construct רֹאשׁ (rōʾš) + noun צַדִּ֑יק (ṣaddı̂q) : [come] to the head of the righteous.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:6b

Text (BHS):

וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְכַסֶּ֥ה חָמָֽס

Transliteration (Accordance):

űp̱ı̂ rᵉšāʿı̂m yᵉḵasseh ḥāmās

Translation (Waltke):

but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.*

*The Hebrew of verse 6b is the same as that of v. 11b ― see note 29: The Hebrew of verse 11b is the same as that of verse 6b. Since “blessing” is the subject in verse 6a, its antonym, “violence,” is presumably the subject in verse 6b (so NIV versus NRSV). Likewise, since the “mouth of the righteous” is the subject of verse 11a, the “mouth of wicked people” is presumably the subject in verse 11b (so NRSV versus NIV).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (űp̱ı̂ rᵉšāʿı̂m) : conj. וּ (ű) + construct of פֶּה (peh) + plural of רָשָׁע (rāšāʿ) : but the mouth of the wicked.
יְכַסֶּ֥ה (yᵉḵasseh) : Piel imperfect 3 m.s. of כָּסָה (kāsāh) : covers.
חָמָֽס (ḥāmās) : violence.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:7a

Text (BHS):

זֵ֣כֶר צַ֭דִּיק לִבְרָכָ֑ה

Transliteration (Accordance):

zēḵer ṣaddı̂q liḇrāḵāh

Translation (Waltke):

The righteous are invoked in blessings*

*Litarally “the memory of the righteous [is] to a blessing.” Delitzsch (Proverbs, p. 155) glosses librākâ “remains in blessing.” According to him, the Hebrew idiom “expresses a growing to something, and thus the entrance into a state of endurance.” He supports his contention that the idiom is a surrogate for the passive yᵉbōrak “will be blessed” by the use of hyh liqlālâ in Jeremiah, which he paraphrases by a passive. But that expression in Jeremiah (25:18; 42:18; 44:8, 12; 49:13) is used of a “reviled person” who “becomes a personified, exemplary ‘curse’ (qᵉlālâ) cited by others in maledictions.” Librākâ is active (i.e., “be a blessing”) in Deut. 23:6 and in Neh. 13:2, and passive or active in Ps. 37:27 (cf. NRSV). In sum, the lexical data support an active sense for librākâ.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

זֵ֣כֶר צַ֭דִּיק (zēḵer ṣaddı̂q) : construct זֵ֣כֶר (zēḵer) : adjective צַ֭דִּיק (ṣaddı̂q) : the memory of the righteous.
לִבְרָכָ֑ה (liḇrāḵāh) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + noun בְּרָכָה (bᵉrāḵāh) : [is] a blessing.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:7b

Text (BHS):

וְשֵׁ֖ם רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְקָֽב

Transliteration (Accordance):

wᵉšēm rᵉšāʿı̂m yirqāḇ

Translation (Waltke):

but the name of the wicked decays.*

*Fichtner (BHS) emends to yűqāb “will be cursed” for a better parallel (cf. 11:26; 24:24–25).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְשֵׁ֖ם רְשָׁעִ֣ים (wᵉšēm rᵉšāʿı̂m) : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + construct שֵׁ֖ם (šēm) + plural of רָשָׁע (rāšāʿ) : but the name of the wicked.
יִרְקָֽב (yirqāḇ) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of רָקֵב (rāqēḇ) : will rot (BDB).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:8a

Text (BHS):

חֲכַם־לֵ֭ב יִקַּ֣ח מִצְוֹ֑ת

Transliteration (Accordance):

ḥāḵām-lēḇ yiqqaḥ miṣwōṯ

Translation (Waltke):

The wise in heart accepts commands

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

חֲכַם־לֵ֭ב (ḥāḵām-lēḇ) : adjective חָכָם (ḥāḵām) + לֵ֭ב (lēḇ) : the wise of heart.
יִקַּ֣ח מִצְוֹ֑ת (yiqqaḥ miṣwōṯ) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of לָקַח (lāqaḥ) + plural of מִצְוָה (miṣwāh) : accepts commands.