Proverbs

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:16b

Text (BHS):

וִימַהֲרוּ לִשְׁפָּךְ־דָּם

Transliteration (Accordance):

wîmahᵃrû lišpāk-dām

Translation (ESV):

and they make haste to shed blood.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וִימַהֲרוּ (wîmahᵃrû) : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + Qal imperfect 2 m.p. of (māhar) : and they hasten.
לִשְׁפָּךְ (lišpāk) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + Qal infinitive construct of שָׁפַךְ (šāpak) : to shed.
דָּם (dām) : blood.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:17

Text (BHS):

כִּי־חִנָּם מְזֹרָה הָרָשֶׁת בְּעֵינֵי כָל־בַּעַל כָּנָף

Transliteration (Accordance):

kî-ḥinnām mᵉzōrâ hārāšet bᵉʿênê kol-baʿal kānāp

Translation (TNIV):

How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it!

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כִּי (kî) : conjunction : for.
חִנָּם (ḥinnām) : adverb : in vain.
הָרָשֶׁת (hārāšet) : definite article + pausal vocalization of רֶשֶׁת (rešet) : the net.
מְזֹרָה (mᵉzōrâ) : Pual participle of זָרָה (zārâ) : is spread (metaphor, Holladay).
בְּעֵינֵי (bᵉʿênê) : preposition בְּ (bᵉ) + dual construct of עַיִן (ʿayin) : in the eyes/sight of.
כָל (kol) : construct of כֹּל (kōl) : any (Waltke note 22 page 185).*
בַּעַל (baʿal) : construct : possessor of (IBHS page 149 §9.5.3b).
כָּנָף (kānāp) : wing.

*Before an indeterminate genitive kol is used in the more indefinite (individualizing) sense of of all kinds, any ... or distributively, each, every (GKC #127c).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:18

Text (BHS):

וְהֵם לְדָמָם יֶאֱרֹבוּ יִצְפְּנוּ לְנַפְשֹׁתָם

Transliteration (Accordance):

wᵉhēm lᵉdāmām yeʾᵉrōbû yiṣpᵉnû lᵉnapšōtām

Translation (ESV):

but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְהֵם (wᵉhēm) : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + demonstrative adjective m.p. הֵם (hēm) : but these men.
יֶאֱרֹבוּ (yeʾᵉrōbû) : Qal imperfect 3 m.p. of אָרַב (ʾārab) : lie in wait.
לְדָמָם (lᵉdāmām) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + noun דָּם (dām) + pronominal 3 m.p. suffix : for their own blood.
יִצְפְּנוּ (yiṣpᵉnû) : Qal imperfect 3 m.p. of צָפַן (ṣāpan) : they set an ambush.
לְנַפְשֹׁתָם (lᵉnapšōtām) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + noun נֶפֶשׁ (nepeš) + pronominal 3 m.p. suffix : for their own lives.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:19

Text (BHS):

כֵּן אָרְחוֹת כָּל־בֹּצֵעַ בָּצַע אֶת־נֶפֶשׁ בְּעָלָיו יִקָּח

Transliteration (Accordance):

kēn ʾorḥôt kol-bōṣēaʿ bāṣaʿ ʾet-nepeš bᵉʿālāyw yiqqāḥ

Translation (ESV):

Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כֵּן (kēn) (= "as has just been said" Holladay) : such [are].
אָרְחוֹת (ʾorḥôt) : plural construct of אֹרַח (ʾōraḥ) : the ways of.
כָּל (kol) : construct of כֹּל (kōl) : everyone.
בֹּצֵעַ (bōṣēaʿ) : Qal participle of בָּצַע (bāṣaʿ) : who gains by violence (BDB).
בֹּצֵעַ (bōṣēaʿ) : pausal vocalization of בֶּצַע (beṣaʿ) : unjust gain (BDB).
יִקָּח (yiqqāḥ) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. pausal of לָקַח (lāqaḥ) : it takes away.
אֶת (ʾet) : direct object marker.
נֶפֶשׁ (nepeš) : construct : the life of.
בְּעָלָיו (bᵉʿālāyw) : plural of בַּעַל (baʿal) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : its possessors.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:20

Text (BHS):

חָכְמוֹת בַּחוּץ תָּרֹנָּה בָּרְחֹבוֹת תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ

Transliteration (Accordance):

ḥokmôt baḥûṣ tārōnnâ borḥōbôt tittēn qôlâh

Translation (ESV):

Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

חָכְמוֹת (ḥokmôt) : plural of חָכְמָה (ḥokmâ) [intensive plural or abstract noun (Waltke)] : wisdom.
תָּרֹנָּה (tārōnnâ) : Qal imperfect 3 f.s. + pseudo-cohortative suffix (Waltke) of רָנַן (rānan) : cries aloud.
בַּחוּץ (baḥûṣ) : preposition בְּ (bᵉ) + noun חוּץ (ḥûṣ) : in the street.
בָּרְחֹבוֹת (borḥōbôt) : preposition בְּ (bᵉ) + definite article + plural [of extension (Waltke)] of רְחֹב (rᵉḥōb) : in the public square.
תִּתֵּן (tittēn) : Qal imperfect 3 f.s. of נָתַן (nātan) : she raises.
קוֹלָהּ (qôlâh) : noun קוֹל (qôl) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : her voice.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:21a

Text (BHS):

בְּרֹאשׁ הֹמִיּוֹת תִּקְרָא

Transliteration (Accordance):

bᵉrōʾš hōmîyôt tiqrāʾ

Translation (Waltke):

on the highest* walls** she calls out

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בְּרֹאשׁ (bᵉrōʾš) : preposition בְּ (bᵉ) + noun רֹאשׁ (rōʾš) : on the highest.*
הֹמִיּוֹת (hōmîôt) : walls.**
תִּקְרָא (tiqrāʾ) : Qal imperfect 3 f.s. of קָרָא (qārāʾ) : she calls out.

*rōʾš ḥmyt is a superlative genitive (IBHS, p. 154, §9.5.3.) (Waltke).
*MT's hōmîyôt is Qal feminine plural participle, retaining the original yodh of the root hmh (GKC #75v), a substantival adjective meaning "noisy"/"stirring"/"tumultuous" places. "Head-of-streets" occurs in Isa. 51:20; Lam. 2:19; cf. Ezek. 16:25). The LXX reads teicheōn, not from ḥōmôt (pace Fichtner [BHS]) because that retroversion does not account for yodh, but from Ugaritic-Phoenician ḥmyt ("wall"). Scribes frequently confuse h and ḥ. The parallel in 8:2, bᵉrōʾš-mᵉrômîm ("on the highest heights"), better matches "wall" than does "noisy" (Waltke).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:21b

Text (BHS):

בְּפִתְחֵ י שְׁעָרִים בָּעִיר אֲמָרֶיהָ תֹאמֵר

Transliteration (Accordance):

bᵉpitḥê šᵉʿārîm bāʿîr ʾᵃmārêhā tōʾmēr

Translation (Waltke):

at the entrance of the city gates she speaks

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בְּפִתְחֵי (bᵉpitḥê) : preposition בְּ (bᵉ) + plural* construct of פֶּתַח (petaḥ) : at the entrance of.
שְׁעָרִים (šᵉʿārîm) : plural of שָׁעַר (šāʿar) : the gates.
בָּעִיר (bāʿîr) : preposition בָּעִיר (bᵉ) + definite article + עִיר (ʿîr) : to the city.
תֹאמֵר (tōʾmēr) : Qal imperfect 3 f.s. of אָמַר (ʾāmar) : she speaks.
אֲמָרֶיהָ (ʾᵃmārêhā) : plural of אֵמֶר (ʾēmer) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : her words.

*Plural of extension (IBHS page 120 §7.4.1c).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:22a

Text (BHS):

עַד־מָתַי פְּתָיִם תְּאֵהֲבוּ פֶתִי

Transliteration (Accordance):

ʿad-mātay pᵉtāyim tᵉʾêhᵃbû petî

Translation (Waltke):

"How long, you gullible, will you love being gullible" ―

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

עַד (ʿad) : until.
מָתַי (mātay) : when?
פְּתָיִם (pᵉtāyim) : plural of פֶּתִי (petî) : young, naive person (easily deceived) (Holladay).
תְּאֵהֲבוּ (tᵉʾêhᵃbû) : Qal imperfect 2 m.p. of אָהֵב (ʾāhēb) : will you love.
פֶתִי (petî) : abstract noun ("gullibility") (Waltke) : being gullible.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:22b

Text (BHS):

וְלֵצִים לָצוֹן חָמְדוּ לָהֶם

Transliteration (Accordance):

wᵉlēṣîm lāṣôn ḥāmᵉdû lāhem

Translation (Waltke):

― and mockers delight themselves in mocking

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְלֵצִים (wᵉlēṣîm) : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + Qal participle m.p. of לִיץ (lîṣ) : and mockers.
חָמְדוּ (ḥāmᵉdû) : Qal perfect 3 c.p. of חָמֵד (ḥāmēd) : covet (Holladay).
לָהֶם (lāhem) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + pronominal 3 m.p. suffix : for themselves.
לָצוֹן (lāṣôn) : noun : [the pleasure of] mocking.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:22c

Text (BHS):

וּכְסִילִים יִשְׂנְאוּ־דָעַת

Transliteration (Accordance):

ûkᵉsîlîm yiśnᵉʾû-dāʿat

Translation (Waltke):

and fools hate knowledge?

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּכְסִילִים (ûkᵉsîlîm) : conjunction וּ (û) + plural of כְּסִיל (kᵉsîl) : and fools.
יִשְׂנְאוּ (yiśnᵉʾû) : Qal imperfect 3 m.p. of שָׂנֵא (śānēʾ) : hate.
דָעַת (dāʿat) : knowledge.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:23a

Text (BHS):

תָּשׁוּבוּ לְתוֹכַחְתִּי

Transliteration (Accordance):

tāšûbû lᵉtôkaḥtî

Translation (Waltke):

Turn back* [you gullible young people] to my rebuke

*Šub + lᵉ = "to turn oneself toward" and šub + min = "to turn back from" (see BDB) p. 997; HALOT), 4:1328), disallowing "how long will you turn away at [= from] my reproof" (pace NAB and R. Murphy [...]).
**The insertion clarifying "you" refers to the gullible, not the fools and scoffers of the parenthesis (see verse 22).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

תָּשׁוּבוּ (tāšûbû) : Qal imperfect 2 m.p. of שׁוּב (šûb) : turn back (Holladay) ("or, repent tāšûbû" Waltke).
לְתוֹכַחְתִּי (lᵉtôkaḥtî) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + תּוֹכַחַת (tōkaḥat) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : to my rebuke (or correction Waltke).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:23b

Text (BHS):

הִנֵּה אַבִּיעָה לָכֶם רוּחִי

Transliteration (Accordance):

hinnê ʾabbîʿâ lākem rûḥî

Translation (ESV):

I will pour out my spirit to you

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

הִנֵּה (hinnê) : demonstrative particle : behold/see.
אַבִּיעָה (ʾabbîʿâ) : Hiphil imperative 1 c.s of נָבַע (nābaʿ + directional ה : I will pour out.
לָכֶם (lākem) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + pronominal 2 m.p. suffix : to you.
רוּחִי (rûḥî) : feminine noun רוּחַ (rûaḥ) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : my spirit.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:23c

Text (BHS):

אוֹדִיעָה דְבָרַי אֶתְכֶם

Transliteration (Accordance):

ʾôdîʿâ dᵉbāray ʾetkem

Translation (ESV):

I will make my words known to you.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

אוֹדִיעָה (ʾôdîʿâ) : Hiphil imperfect 1 c.s. of יָדַע (yādaʿ) + directional ה : I will make known.
אֶתְכֶם (ʾetkem) : direct object marker + pronominal 2 m.p. suffix : to you.
דְבָרַי (dᵉbāray) : plural of דָּבָר (dābār) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : my words.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:24a

Text (BHS):

יַעַן קָרָאתִי וַתְּמָאֵנוּ

Transliteration (Accordance):

yaʿan qārāʾtî wattᵉmāʾēnû

Translation (Waltke):

[But] since I cry out* and you refuse** [to listen].***

*An instantaneous perfective (IBHS, page 488 §30.5.1d).
**With a waw-consecutive, the short prefix conjugation has the same tense value as the preceding perfective (IBHS, page 555, §33.31b).
***Pace NIV and JB, "rejected me." A verb is usually used with the infinitive "to obey" and the like and never used with a personal direct object.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

יַעַן (yaʿan) : conjunction : since.
קָרָאתִי (qārāʾtî) : I cry out.*
וַתְּמָאֵנוּ (wattᵉmāʾēnû) : consecutive ו (waw) + Piel imperfect 2 m.p. of מָאֵן (māʾēn) : and you refuse** (to listen).†

†To listen is inserted from the parallel that completes the verbal notion (Waltke).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:24b

Text (BHS):

נָטִיתִי יָדִי וְאֵין מַקְשִׁיב

Transliteration (Accordance):

nāṭîtî yādî wᵉʾên maqšîb

Translation (Waltke):

and when I stretch out my hand, none gives heed

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

נָטִיתִי (nāṭîtî) : Qal perfect 1 c.s. of נָטָה (nāṭâ) : I stretch out.
יָדִי (yādî) : noun יָד (yād) + pronominal 1 c.s suffix : my hand.
וְאֵין (wᵉʾên) : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + negation אֵין (ʾên) : but none.
מַקְשִׁיב (maqšîb) : Hiphil participle of קָשַׁב (qāšab) : gives heed.