Proverbs

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:8b

Text (BHS):

וֶאֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יִלָּבֵֽט

Transliteration (Accordance):

weʾᵉwı̂l śᵉp̱āṯayim yillāḇēṭ

Translation (Waltke):

but the babbling fool* comes to ruin.

*Literally “the fool of lips,” a genitive of species (IBHS, p. 152, P. 9.5.3g).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וֶאֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם (weʾᵉwı̂l śᵉp̱āṯayim) : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + construct of אֱוִ֥יל (ʾᵉwı̂l) + dual of שָׂפָה (śāp̱āh) : but the babbling fool.*
יִלָּבֵֽט (yillāḇēṭ) : Niphal imperfect 3 m.s. of לָבַט (lāḇaṭ) : will come to ruin.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:9a

Text (BHS):

הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בַּ֭תֹּם יֵ֣לֶךְ בֶּ֑טַח

Transliteration (Accordance):

hôlēḵ battōm yēleḵ beṭaḥ

Translation (Waltke):

Whoever walks in blamelessness walks securely

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בַּ֭תֹּם (hôlēḵ battōm) : Qal participle of הָלַךְ (hālaḵ) + preposition בְּ (bᵉ) + definite article + noun תֹּם (tōm) : whoever walks in integrity
יֵ֣לֶךְ בֶּ֑טַח (yēleḵ beṭaḥ) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of הָלַךְ (hālaḵ) + noun as adverb בָּטַח (bāṭaḥ) : walks securely.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:9b

Text (BHS):

וּמְעַקֵּ֥שׁ דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו יִוָּדֵֽעַ

Transliteration (Accordance):

ûmᵉʿaqqēš dᵉrāḵāyw yiwwāḏēaʿ

Translation (Waltke):

but the one who twists his ways will be known.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּמְעַקֵּ֥שׁ (ûmᵉʿaqqēš) : conj. וּ (û) + Piel participle of עָקַשׁ (ʿāqaš) : but he who perverts.
דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו (dᵉrāḵāyw) : plural of דֶּרֶךְ (dereḵ) + 3 m.s. suffix : his ways.
יִוָּדֵֽעַ (yiwwāḏēaʿ) : Niphal imperfect 3 m.s. of יָדַע (yāḏaʿ) : will be found out.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:10a

Text (BHS):

קֹ֣רֵֽץ עַ֭יִן יִתֵּ֣ן עַצָּ֑בֶת

Transliteration (Accordance):

qōrēṣ ʿayin yittēn ʿaṣṣāḇeṯ

Translation (Waltke):

He who maliciously winks the eye* causes trouble

*Literally “winks” (see 6:13). The LXX clarifies the sense by adding “deceitfully” here, but not in 6:13.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

קֹ֣רֵֽץ עַ֭יִן (qōrēṣ ʿayin) : Qal participle of קָרַץ (qāraṣ) : noun עַ֭יִן (ʿayin) : he who winks the eye.
יִתֵּ֣ן עַצָּ֑בֶת (yittēn ʿaṣṣāḇeṯ) : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of נָתַן (nāṯan) + pausal vocalization of עַצֶּ֫בֶת (ʿaṣeḇeṯ) : causes trouble.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:10b

Text (BHS):

וֶאֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יִלָּבֵֽט

Transliteration (Accordance):

weʾᵉwı̂l śᵉp̱āṯayim yillāḇēṭ

Translation (Waltke):

but the babbling fool* comes to ruin.

*Literally “the fool of lips,” a genitive of species (IBHS, p. 152, P. 9.5.3g)

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וֶאֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם (weʾᵉwı̂l śᵉp̱āṯayim) : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + construct אֱוִ֥יל (ʾᵉwı̂l) + dual of שָׂפָה (śāp̱āh) : but the babbling fool/the fool of lips.
יִלָּבֵֽט (yillāḇēṭ) : Niphal imperfect of 3 m.s of לָבַט (lāḇaṭ) : will be ruined.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:11a

Text (BHS):

מְק֣וֹר חַ֭יִּים פִּ֣י צַדִּ֑יק

Transliteration (Accordance):

mᵉqôr ḥayyı̂m pı̂ ṣaddı̂q

Translation (Waltke):

The mouth of the righteous is a wellspring of life

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

מְק֣וֹר חַ֭יִּים (mᵉqôr ḥayyı̂m) : construct of מָקוֹר (māqôr) + חַ֭יִּים (ḥayyı̂m) : a wellspring of life.
פִּ֣י צַדִּ֑יק (pı̂ ṣaddı̂q) : construct of פֶּה (peh) + adjective צַדִּ֑יק (ṣaddı̂q) : [is] the mouth of the righteous.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:11b

Text (BHS):

וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְכַסֶּ֥ה חָמָֽס

Transliteration (Accordance):

ûp̱ı̂ rᵉšāʿı̂m yᵉḵasseh ḥāmās

Translation (Waltke):

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.*

*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 (ûp̱ı̂ rᵉšāʿı̂m) : conj. וּ (û) + construct of פֶּה (peh) + plural of רָשָׁע (rāšāʿ) : but the mouth of the wicked.
יְכַסֶּ֥ה (yᵉḵasseh) : Piel imperfect of כָּסָה (kāsāh) : conceals.
חָמָֽס (kāsāh) : violence.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:12a

Text (BHS):

שִׂנְאָה תְּעוֹרֵ֣ר מְדָנִ֑ים

Transliteration (Accordance):

śinʾāh tᵉʿôrēr mᵉḏānı̂m

Translation (Waltke):

Hatred awakens conflits

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

שִׂנְאָה (śinʾāh) : hatred.
תְּעוֹרֵ֣ר (tᵉʿôrēr) : Polel imperfect 3 f.s of עוּר (ʿûr) : stirs up.
מְדָנִ֑ים (mᵉḏānı̂m) : plural of מָדוֹן (māḏôn) : conflicts.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:12b

Text (BHS):

וְעַ֥ל כָּל־פְּ֝שָׁעִ֗ים תְּכַסֶּ֥ה אַהֲבָֽה

Transliteration (Accordance):

wᵉʿal kol-pᵉšāʿı̂m tᵉḵasseh ʾahᵃḇāh

Translation (Waltke):

but love covers all offenses.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְעַ֥ל כָּל־פְּ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (wᵉʿal kol-pᵉšāʿı̂m) : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + prep. עַ֥ל (ʿal) + construct of כֹּל (kōl) + plural of פֶּשַׁע (pešaʿ) : but ... over all offenses.
אַהֲבָֽה (ʾahᵃḇāh) : love.
תְּכַסֶּ֥ה (tᵉḵasseh) : Piel imperfect 3 f.s. of כָּסָה (kāsāh) : covers.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:13a

Text (BHS):

בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י נָ֭בוֹן תִּמָּצֵ֣א חָכְמָ֑ה

Transliteration (Accordance):

bᵉśip̱ṯê nāḇôn timmāṣēʾ ḥoḵmāh

Translation (Waltke):

On the lips of an insightful person wisdom is found

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י נָ֭בוֹן (bᵉśip̱ṯê nāḇôn) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + dual construct of שָׂפָה (śāp̱āh) + Niphal participle of בִּין (bı̂n) : on the lips of him who has understanding.
תִּמָּצֵ֣א (timmāṣēʾ) : Niphal imperfect 3 f.s. of מָצָא (māṣāʾ) : is found.
חָכְמָה (ḥoḵmāh) : wisdom.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:13b

Text (BHS):

וְשֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו חֲסַר־לֵֽב

Transliteration (Accordance):

wᵉšēḇeṭ lᵉg̱ēw ḥᵃsar-lēḇ

Translation (Waltke):

but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְשֵׁ֗בֶט (wᵉšēḇeṭ) : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + noun שֵׁבֶט (šēḇeṭ) : but a rod.
לְגֵ֣ו (lᵉg̱ēw) : prep. לְ (lᵉ) + construct of גֵּו (gēw) : [is] for the back of.
חֲסַר־לֵֽב (ḥᵃsar-lēḇ) : noun construct חֹסֶר (ḥōser) + noun לֵֽב (lēḇ) : one who lacks sense.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:14a

Text (BHS):

חֲכָמִ֥ים יִצְפְּנוּ־דָ֑עַת

Transliteration (Accordance):

ḥᵃḵāmı̂m yiṣpᵉnû-ḏāʿaṯ

Translation (Waltke):

Wise people store up knowledge

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

חֲכָמִ֥ים (ḥᵃḵāmı̂m) : plural of חָכָם (ḥāḵām) : wise people.
יִצְפְּנוּ־דָ֑עַת (yiṣpᵉnû-ḏāʿaṯ) : Qal imperfect 3 m.p. of צָפַן (ṣāp̱an) + pausal vocalization of דַּעַת (ḏaʿaṯ) : store up knowledge.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:14b

Text (BHS):

וּפִֽי־אֱ֝וִיל מְחִתָּ֥ה קְרֹבָֽה

Transliteration (Accordance):

ûp̱ı̂-ʾᵉwı̂l mᵉḥittā qᵉrōḇāh

Translation (Waltke):

but the mouth of a fool is imminent terror.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּפִֽי־אֱ֝וִיל (ûp̱ı̂-ʾᵉwı̂l) : conj. וּ (û) + construct of פֶּה (peh) + adjective אֱוִיל (ʾᵉwı̂l) : but the mouth of a fool.
מְחִתָּ֥ה קְרֹבָֽה (mᵉḥittā qᵉrōḇāh) : noun מְחִתָּ֥ה (mᵉḥittā) + adjective f.s. קְרֹבָֽה (qᵉrōḇāh) : [is] imminent terror.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:15a

Text (BHS):

ה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ

Transliteration (Accordance):

hôn ʿāšı̂r qiryaṯ ʿuzzô

Translation (Waltke):

The wealth or the rich person is his fortified city

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

ה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר (hôn ʿāšı̂r) : construct ה֣וֹן (hôn) + adjective עָ֭שִׁיר (ʿāšı̂r) : the wealth of a rich man.
קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ (qiryaṯ ʿuzzô) : construct of קִרְיָה (qiryāh) + noun עֹז (ʿōz) + 3 m.s. suffix : [is] his fortified city.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 10:15b

Text (BHS):

מְחִתַּ֖ת דַּלִּ֣ים רֵישָֽׁם

Transliteration (Accordance):

mᵉḥittaṯ dallı̂m rêšām

Translation (Waltke):

the terror of poor people is their poverty.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

מְחִתַּ֖ת דַּלִּ֣ים (mᵉḥittaṯ dallı̂m) : construct of מְחִתָּה (mᵉḥiṯāh) + plural of adjective דַּל (dal) : the terror of poor people.
רֵישָֽׁם (rêšām) : noun masculine plural of רֵישׁ (rêš) + 3 m.p. suffix : [is] their poverty.