Proverbs

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:15):

[hebrew]Y$ ZHB WRB pnYnYM
WkLY YQR $pTY D(T[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

yēsh zāhāb w^erob p^enīnīm
ūk^elī y^ekār siptē dā‘at

Translation (Waltke):

There is gold and an abundance of corals,
but a precious vessel is lips that speak knowledge.

Comment (brackets added):

There is [yēsh; 11:24] gold [zāhāb] (see 11:22), which from earliest times was valued for its metallurgical and aesthetic qualities, is escalated to and an abundance [w^erob] of corals [p^enīnīm], which designates a vast amount of the precious material used for jewelry. But [ū] introduces the antithetical comparative parallel. A precious [y^ekār] restricts the all-purpose word vessel [k^elī], which refers to material objects and finished products. The phrase, to judge from the parallel, here refers to a beautifully finished piece of jewelry perhaps made of gold for the face [...]. The metaphor expresses the unstated thought that lips [siptē] that speak knowledge [dā‘at] are extremely valuable and aesthetically pleasing and the unstated feeling that they are earnestly desired. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

yēsh / [hebrew]Y$[/hebrew] : in aphorisms, asserting the existence of a particular character, quality, etc. Pr 20:15. (BDB).
zāhāb / [hebrew]ZHB[/hebrew] gold.
w^erob / [hebrew]WRB[/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + rōb / [hebrew]RB[/hebrew] quantity, wealth, abundance.
p^enīnīm / [hebrew]pnYnYM[/hebrew] : corals; figure of value Pr 20:15. (BDB).
ūk^elī / [hebrew]WkLY[/hebrew] : conjunction ū / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (but) + k^elī / [hebrew]kLY[/hebrew] vessel.
y^ekār / [hebrew]YQR[/hebrew] : precious Pr 20:15. (BDB).
siptē / [hebrew]$pTY[/hebrew] : plural construct vocalization of sāpāh / [hebrew]$pH[/hebrew] lip.
dā‘at / [hebrew]D(T[/hebrew] : knowledge.

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:16):

[hebrew]LQX BGDW kY (RB ZR
WB(D nkRYM XBLHW[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

l^eqakh bigdō kī ’ārab zār
ūb^e‘ad nokrīm khablēhū

Translation (Waltke):

Take away his garment when one becomes surety for a stranger;
and when he has done it for an outsider impound it.

Comment (brackets added):

The fictive command take away (l^eqakh; [...]) means to get something into one's possession and control, with the nuance of being against its owner's will. His garment (bigdō) can refer to any kind of garment or covering, from a widow's garb [...] to ceremonial dress [...]. [...] When [kī] introduces the foolish situation. One becomes security (’ārab; [...]) for a stranger (zār; [...]). Zār sometimes has the weakened sense of "another" [...], but in parallel with nokrī it means"stranger" (i.e., outside the family and community [...]. And [ū] links the two synthetic parallels. When he has done it is supplied on the assumption that kī ’ārab is gapped in verset B. He does it for [b^e‘ad] the benefit (literally "surrounding in protection of"; [...]) of an outsider (nokrīm; [...]), the customary parallel of zār. [...] Impound [khablēhū] means "to take or to require in pledge [...], or as here and probably Job 22.6; 24:3, 9, "to seize it in pledge." The parallel suggests that the antecedent is "his garment." The TEV captures the thought well: "Anyone stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts ought to have his own property held to guarantee payment." — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

l^eqakh / [hebrew]LQX[/hebrew] : Qal imperative 2 m.s. of lāqakh / [hebrew]LQX[/hebrew] take Pr 20:16. (BDB).
bigdō / [hebrew]BGDW[/hebrew] : beged / [hebrew]BGD[/hebrew] (garment) + possessive pronoun suffix ō / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (his).
kī / [hebrew]kY[/hebrew] : conjunction when.
’ārab / [hebrew](RB[/hebrew] = Qal perfect 3 m.s. = to stand surety for Pr 20:16. (HALOT).
zār / [hebrew]ZR[/hebrew] : Qal participle of zūr / [hebrew]ZWR[/hebrew] stranger to the family of another household Pr 20:16. (BDB).
ūb^e‘ad / [hebrew]WB(D[/hebrew] : conjunction ū / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + ba‘ad / [hebrew]B(D[/hebrew] surrounding in protection for the benefit of, for Pr 20:16. (HALOT).
nokrīm / [hebrew]nkRYM[/hebrew] (masculine plural) — variant reading nokrīyāh / [hebrew]nkRYH[/hebrew] (feminine singular) : foreigner Pr 20:16. (HALOT).
khablēhū / [hebrew]XBLHW[/hebrew] : Qal imperative 2 m.s. of khābal / [hebrew]XBL[/hebrew] to seize a pledge from a person Pr 20:16. (HALOT) + 3 m.s. suffix hū / [hebrew]HW[/hebrew] him.

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:17):

[hebrew](RB L)Y$ LXM $QR
W)XR YmL) pYHW XcC[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

‘ārab lā’īsh lekhem shāqer
w^e’akhar yimmālē’ pīhū khātsāts

Translation (Waltke):

Food gotten by deceit is sweet to the person,
but afterward his mouth is filled with gravel.

Comment (brackets added):

Elsewhere food [lekhem], a necessity for life, is to be obtained through labor and merit [...]. [...] Gotten by deceit [shāqer] refers generally to something that appears differently than it actually is and hurts others [...], and here probably through deceptive speech, as suggested by its parallel "mouth" and its customary use in this book, apart from 11:18 (a "deceptive" wage) and 31:30 (deceptive charm). Is sweet [‘ārab], which occurs elsewhere only in Song 2:14 with reference to the delight and desirability of a "sweet voice," was probably chosen to form a verbal link with ‘ārab in verse 16, instead of its synonym mtq [...]. To the person (lā’īsh; [...]) may be definite to designate the liar, not the audience that devours his speech like tidbits (18:8; 26:22). [...] But [w^e] joins the antithetical parallel. Temporal afterward [’akhar] (literally "behind") starkly contrasts the before and after scenes of this proverb and infers their cause-consequence connection. His mouth [pīhū], probably as in 19:28, functions both as an orifice for producing his false speech and for ingesting food, a metaphor for his having "to eat" the results of his deceptive speech. The expanded metaphor is filled (yimmālē’; see 12:21) signifies that he is so completely pervaded that there is room for nothing else and connotes his final unrelieved and awful pain. With gravel [khātsāts] completes the metaphor, and, to judge from its only other occurrence, connotes to break the teeth so that the liar can no longer speak and eat but comes to an awful end. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

‘ārab / [hebrew])RB[/hebrew] = sweet = homonym of verb in glossary here.
lā’īsh / [hebrew]L)Y$[/hebrew] : preposition l^e / [hebrew]L[/hebrew] (to) + assimilated definite article hā / [hebrew]H[/hebrew] (the) + ’īsh / [hebrew])Y$[/hebrew] (person).
lekhem / [hebrew]LXM[/hebrew] : bread, food.
shāqer / [hebrew]$QR[/hebrew] : pausal vocalization of sheker / [hebrew]$QR[/hebrew] deceit, fraud, wrong Pr 20:17. (BDB).
w^e’akhar / [hebrew]W)XR[/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + ’akhar / [hebrew])XR[/hebrew] temporal after (Holladay).
yimmālē’ / [hebrew]YmL)[/hebrew] : Niphal imperfect 3 m.s. of mālē’ / [hebrew]mL)[/hebrew] to be filled with Pr 20:17. (HALOT).
pīhū / [hebrew]pYHW[/hebrew] : peh / [hebrew]pH[/hebrew] (mouth) + 3 m.s. suffix hū / [hebrew]HW[/hebrew] (his).
khātsāts / [hebrew]XcC[/hebrew] : gravel Pr 20:17. (BDB).

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:18):

[hebrew]mX$BWT B(cH TkWN
WBTXBLWT ($H mLXmH[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

makh^ashābōt b^e‘ētsāh tikkōn
ūb^etakhbulōt ‘^aseh milkhāmāh

Translation (Waltke):

Plans are established with counsel,
so with guidance make war.

Comment (brackets added):

Plans [makh^ashābōt] are established [tikkōn; see 16:3] with counsel [b^e‘ētsāh] (see 19:21), that is, informed by the sage's teachings and backed up by the LORD; otherwise they would not stand the test of time (see 19:21). So [ū] paratactically combines the versets, but the connection is logical. With guidance [b^etakhbulōt] make (‘^aseh; [...]) war (milkhāmāh). — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

makh^ashābōt / [hebrew]mX$BWT[/hebrew] : plural of makh^ashābāh / [hebrew]mX$BH[/hebrew] plan, purpose Pr 20:18. (BDB).
b^e‘ētsāh / [hebrew]B(cH[/hebrew] : preposition b^e / [hebrew]B[/hebrew] (with) + ‘ētsāh / [hebrew](cH[/hebrew] counsel, advice Pr 20:18. (BDB).
tikkōn / [hebrew]TkWN[/hebrew] : Niphal imperfect 3 m.s. of kūn / [hebrew]kWN[/hebrew] be established Pr 20:18. (BDB).
ūb^etakhbulōt / [hebrew]WBTXBLWT [/hebrew] : conjunction ū / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + preposition b^e / [hebrew]B[/hebrew] (with) + takhbulōt / [hebrew]TXBLWT[/hebrew] good, wise counsels Pr 20:18. (BDB).
‘^aseh / [hebrew]($H[/hebrew] : Qal imperative 3 m.s. of ‘āsāh / [hebrew]($H[/hebrew] to make in the widest sense Pr 20:18. (HALOT).
milkhāmāh / [hebrew]mLXmH[/hebrew] : war.

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:19):

[hebrew]GWLH SWD HWLK RkYL
WLpTH $pTYW L) TT(RB[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

gōleh-sōd hōlēk rākīl
ūl^epōteh s^epātāyw lō’ tit‘ārāb

Translation (Waltke):

He who goes about as a slanderer divulges secrets,
so do not get involved with a chatterer.

Comment (brackets added):

Verset A repeats almost verbatim 11:13a except that it describes the reverse, He who goes about as a slanderer (hōlēk rākīl) divulges secrets (gōleh-sōd), not "a slanderer is one who ..." [...] So [ū; see 20:18] do not [lō’] get involved with (tit‘ārāb l^e, from II ‘rb; see 14:10), which is the third homonym of ‘rb in this unit. [...] HALOT glosses the phrase pōteh s^epātāyw a silly chatterer. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

gōleh / [hebrew]GWLH[/hebrew] : Qal participle of gālah / [hebrew]GLH[/hebrew] to uncover, to betray a secret Pr 20:19. (HALOT).
sōd / [hebrew]SWD[/hebrew] : secret counsel Pr 20:19. (BDB).
hōlēk / [hebrew]HWLK[/hebrew] : Qal participle of hālak / [hebrew]HLK[/hebrew] : to go, walk (HALOT).
rākīl / [hebrew]RkYL[/hebrew] : slanderer Pr 20:19. (HALOT).
ūl^epōteh / [hebrew]WLpTH[/hebrew] : conjunction ū / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (so) + preposition l^e / [hebrew]L[/hebrew] (with) + Qal participle of pātah / [hebrew]pTH[/hebrew] to be simple, be inexpert, be gullible; according to KBL [hebrew]pTH $pTYW[/hebrew] Pr 20:19. silly chatterer belongs here (HALOT).
s^epātāyw / [hebrew]$pTYW[/hebrew] : lip — verbal expression: [...] foolish prattler [...], with similar meaning Pr 20:19. (HALOT).
lō’ / [hebrew]L)[/hebrew] : ordinary declarative, negation : not (Holladay).
tit‘ārāb / [hebrew]TT(RB[/hebrew] : Hithpael imperfect 2 m.s. of ‘ārab / [hebrew](RB[/hebrew] have fellowship with Pr 20:19. (BDB).

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:20):

[hebrew]mQLL )BYW W)MW
YD(K nRW B)Y$WN X$K[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

m^eqallēl ’ābīō w^eimmō
yid‘ak nērō be’^eīshōn khōshek

Translation (Waltke):

As for the one who curses his father and his mother,
his lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

Comment (brackets added):

The verb glossed the one who curses (m^eqallēl) in the Qal means "to be slight, trifling," and in the Piel used here, "to make of no account" by declaring the person such. [...] His father and mother [’ābīō w^eimmō] entails a foolish son (see 10:1). [...] His lamp will be snuffed out [yid‘ak nērō] metaphorically depicts the foolish son's untimely and unfortunate death. The metaphor extended to in pitch darkness (be’^eīshōn khōshek, literally "in the pupil of darkness"), which may mean "the center of darkness," or "thickest darkness," or "midnight darkness," intensifies the son's untimely death as tragic and hopeless. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

m^eqallēl / [hebrew]mQLL[/hebrew] : Piel participle of qālal / [hebrew]QLL[/hebrew] to treat contemptuously Pr 20:20. (HALOT).
’ābīō / [hebrew])BYW[/hebrew] : ’āb / [hebrew])B[/hebrew] (father) + possessive pronoun suffix ō / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (his).
w^eimmō / [hebrew]W)MW[/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + ’ēm / [hebrew])M[/hebrew] (mother) + possessive pronoun suffix ō / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (his).
yid‘ak / [hebrew]YD(K[/hebrew] : Qal imperfect of dā‘ak / [hebrew]D(K[/hebrew] to be extinguished Pr 20:20. (HALOT).
nērō / [hebrew]nRW[/hebrew] : nēr / [hebrew]nR[/hebrew] (lamp) + possessive pronoun suffix ō / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (his).
be’^eīshōn / [hebrew]B)Y$WN[/hebrew] : preposition b^e / [hebrew]B[/hebrew] (in) + ’īshōn / [hebrew])Y$WN[/hebrew] pupil of eye [...] = middle, midst of night Pr 20:20. (BDB).
khōshek / [hebrew]X$K[/hebrew] : of extraordinary darkness Pr 20:20. (BDB).

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:21):

[hebrew]nXLH mBHLT BR)$nH
W)XRYTH L) TBRK[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

nakh^alāh m^ebōhelet bāris’hōnāh
w^e’akh^arītāh lō’ t^ebōrāk

Translation (Waltke):

As for an inheritance gained in haste at the beginning,
in its latter end it will not be blessed.

Comment (brackets added):

An inheritance [nakh^alāh] (see 17:2; 19:14) refers to the family patrimony that is handed down as a parental legacy, not by children grabbing for it. Gained rashly (m^ebōhelet; [...]) derives from a verb that may have meant "to be breathless," and in the Piel "to make breathless" > "to make haste." In the Pual, which is used here, bkhl means "gain hastily." [...] At the beginning [bāri’shōnāh] (see 18:17) refers here to first time in a definite series. In its [i.e., "the inheritance"] latter end [’akh^arītāh] refers to the ultimate end or issue of a course of action, "the result of a matter" [...]. Will not be blessed [lō’ t^ebōrāk] (see 10:6) is a divine passive because blessings ultimately come from God (cf. Ps. 128:4). — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

nakh^alāh / [hebrew]nXLH[/hebrew] : simply property Pr 20::21. (HALOT).
m^ebōhelet / [hebrew]mBHLT[/hebrew] : Pual f.s. participle of bāhal / [hebrew]BHL[/hebrew] hastily gained Pr 20:21. (BDB).
bāris’hōnāh / [hebrew]BR)$nH[/hebrew] : preposition b^e / [hebrew]B[/hebrew] (in) + article hā / [hebrew]H[/hebrew] (the) + ri’shōnāh fem. with prep. as adv. phrase = at first, first of all Pr 20:21. (BDB).
w^e’akh^arītāh / [hebrew]W)XRYTH[/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] + ’akh^arīt / [hebrew])XRYT[/hebrew] (end) + 3 f.s. suffix āh / [hebrew]H[/hebrew] (with mappīq).
lō’ / [hebrew]L)[/hebrew] : not
t^ebōrāk / [hebrew]TBRK[/hebrew] : Pual imperfect 3 m.s. pausal of bārak / [hebrew]BRK[/hebrew] be blessed.

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:22):

[hebrew])L T)mR )$LmH R(
QWH LYHWH WY$( LK[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

’al tō’mar ’^ashall^emāh rā‘
qawwēh laYHWH w^eyōsha‘ lāk

Translation (Waltke):

Do not say, "I will repay evil!"
Look expectantly to the LORD, and he will avenge you.

Comment (brackets added):

Do not say [’al tō’mar] refers to a communication between the disciple himself and/or an indefinite other. I will repay [’^ashall^emāh] (see 11:31) to achieve compensation and satisfaction for evil (rā‘; [...]), both moral evil, a social wrong against the disciple, and physical damage. Look expectantly (qawwēh, traditionally "hope") is related to qaw, "tense string," and depicts expectation and hope as a tense attitude with reference to a specific goal. [...] The repetition of "to" with to the LORD (laYHWH) and to you (lāk) suggests the close bond between Israel's covenant-keeping God and his son (see Prov. 30:4b-5). He will avenge (yōsha‘; [...]) is closely related to legal terms and "implies bringing help to those in trouble rather than rescuing them from it," an interpretation that gives a better parallel to "repay" than "to save, to deliver." [...] A self-avenger expresses a lack of faith in the LORD to protect his own kingdom. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

’al / [hebrew])L[/hebrew] : emphatic negation do not.
tō’mar / [hebrew]T)mR[/hebrew] : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of ’āmar / [hebrew])mR[/hebrew] to say.
’^ashall^emāh / [hebrew])$LmH[/hebrew] : Piel imperfect 1 c.s. of shālēm / [hebrew]$LM[/hebrew] requite, recompense, reward Pr 20:22. (BDB).
rā‘ / [hebrew]R([/hebrew] evil.
qawwēh / [hebrew]QWH[/hebrew] : Piel imperative 2 m.s. of qāwah / [hebrew]QWH[/hebrew] wait or look eagerly for Pr 20:22. (BDB).
laYHWH / [hebrew]LYHWH[/hebrew] : preposition l^e / [hebrew]L[/hebrew] (to) +YHWH / [hebrew]YHWH[/hebrew] the proper name of the God of Israel.
w^eyōsha‘ / [hebrew]WY$([/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + Hiphil imperfect 3 m.s. of yāsha‘ / [hebrew]Y$([/hebrew] to come to assist with Pr 20:22. (HALOT).
lāk / [hebrew]LK[/hebrew] : preposition l^e / [hebrew]L[/hebrew] (to) + 2 m.s. suffix pausal āk / [hebrew]K[/hebrew] you.

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:23):

[hebrew]TW(BT YHWH )BN W)BN
Wm)ZnY mRmH L) +WB[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

tō‘^abat YHWH ’eben wā’āben
ūmō’z^enē mirmāh lō’-tōb

Translation (Waltke):

An abomination to the LORD, are diverse weights,
and deceptive balances are not good.

Comment (brackets added):

The proverb's chiastically formed parallels complement one another; its compound subject, diverse weights [’eben wā’āben; see 20:10] and deceptive balance [ūmō’z^enē mirmāh] (see 11:1), in its inner core, and their predicates, an abomination to the LORD [tō‘^abat YHWH] (see 20:10) and are not good [lō’-tōb] (see 16:29), in its outer frame. Since according to 16:11 the LORD created the weighing apparatus, every deceitful practice touches him. Moreover, it also touches him since he is intimately involved with his son. Life in the marketplace and religion are inseparable. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

tō‘^abat / [hebrew]TW(BT[/hebrew] : abomination, abhorrence (HALOT).
wā’āben / [hebrew]W)BN[/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + pausal vocalization of ’eben / [hebrew])BN[/hebrew] stone [...] weight Pr 20:23. (HALOT).
ūmō’z^enē / [hebrew]Wm)ZnY[/hebrew] : conjunction ū / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + construct state of dual mō’z^enayim / [hebrew]m)ZnYM[/hebrew] balances (HALOT).
mirmāh / [hebrew]mRmH[/hebrew] : trick, fraud ; with mō’z^enē / [hebrew]m)ZnY[/hebrew] = fraudulent balances Pr 20:23. (HALOT).
lō’-tōb / [hebrew]L) +WB[/hebrew] : not good.

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:24):

[hebrew]mYHWH mc(DY GBR
W)DM mH YBYN DRkW[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

mēYHWH mits‘^adē-gāber
w^e’ādām mah-yābīn darkō

Translation (Waltke):

From the LORD are the steps of a man;
and as for a human being, how can he understand his way?

Comment (brackets added):

The similarity between from the LORD [mēYHWH] and "to the LORD (see 20:22 and 20:23) identifies the just God as the ultimate author of the steps [mits‘^adē] (see 16:9), a metaphor for every decision and activity of a man (geber, referring to the male in his strength; [...]). And [w^e] joins the synthetic parallels. As for a human being (’ādām; [...]) shifts the focus from humanity in its strength to humanity in its earthbound limitations (see 20:6), highlighted by the nominative absolute construction. The rhetorical how [mah] qualifies can he understand [yābīn] as an impossibility. The parallel to "step," his way (darkō; [...]) moves from his individual decision to his entire direction and the destiny within which he acts. People do not understand their ways because God makes the actual direction and destiny of their free actions subservient to his plan. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

mēYHWH / [hebrew]mYHWH [/hebrew] : assimilated preposition min / [hebrew]mN[/hebrew] (from) + YHWH / [hebrew]YHWH[/hebrew] Yahweh (HALOT).
mits‘^adē / [hebrew]mc(DY[/hebrew] construct form of mits‘ād / [hebrew]mc(D[/hebrew] step Pr 20:24. (HALOT).
gāber / [hebrew]GBR[/hebrew] : pausal vocalization of geber / [hebrew]GBR[/hebrew] the young, strong man (HALOT).
mah / [hebrew]mH[/hebrew] : used adverbially as an interrogative how Pr 20:24. (BDB).
yābīn / [hebrew]YBYN[/hebrew] : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of bīn / [hebrew]BYN[/hebrew] : understand, know (with mind) Pr 20:24. (BDB).
darkō / [hebrew]DRkW[/hebrew] : derek / [hebrew]DRK[/hebrew] (way) + possessive pronoun suffix ō / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] {his).

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:25):

[hebrew]mWQ$ )DM YL( QD$
W)XR nDRYM LBQR[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

mōqēsh ’ādām yāla‘ qōdesh
w^e’akhar n^edārīm l^ebaqqēr

Translation (Waltke):

A trap for a human being is one who says rashly, "Consecrated,"
and after [making] the vows to examine [them].

Comment (brackets added):

Since a mortal does not rule his future (verse 24), it is imprudent to consecrate impetuously someone or something to God in a future not under the mortal's control (verse 25; cf 27:2). The catchword ’ādām reinforces the linkage of this proverb pair, and "vows" implies the LORD, linking it to verses 22-24. Its syntax tersely and emphatically places the predicate nominative a trap [mōqēsh; see 12:13] for a human being (’ādām, verse 25 a[color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color]a[color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color]; [...]) before the topic (verse 25a[color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color]b[color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color]-25b), consisting of the antithesis of first speaking rashly (verse 25a[color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color]b[color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color]) and afterward reflecting on it. The subject is the indefinite one. Says rashly [yāla‘ glosses a hapax legomenon probably related to Arabic lagā "to blab" and Eth. Tigr. lāle‘a "to speak animatedly." "Consecrated" (qōdesh; [...]) is a metonymy for anyone or anything set apart from the profane as God's property. By the performative speech-act "consecrated [is this or that]" — like "I baptize you," and "I pronounce you husband and wife" in English liturgy — one sets apart someone [...] or something [...] to belong to (or is reserved for) the cult and so as God's property. And [w^e] links the two chronologically successive situations of these synthetic parallels as signified by after [’akhar]. Making the vows [n^edārīm] refers in general to any kind of votive offerings or promised gifts to the LORD and expresses strong piety. [...] To examine [l^ebaqqēr] occurs five times and essentially means "to look carefully after or into [someone or something]" [...]. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

mōqēsh / [hebrew]mWQ$[/hebrew] : a bait or lure in a fowler's net ; then figurative snare Pr 20:25. (BDB).
yāla‘ / [hebrew]YL([/hebrew] : Qal imperf. 3 m.s. of lūa‘ / [hebrew]LW([/hebrew] talk wildly Pr 20:25. it is a snare to a man that he should rashly cry "Holy!" (BDB).
qōdesh / [hebrew]QD$[/hebrew] : holy meaning (what belongs to) is reserved for the cult Pr 20:25. (HALOT).
w^e’akhar / [hebrew]W)XR[/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + ’akhar / [hebrew])XR[/hebrew] (temporally) after.
n^edārīm / [hebrew]nDRYM[/hebrew] : plural of nēder / [hebrew]nDR[/hebrew] vow.
l^ebaqqēr / [hebrew]LBQR[/hebrew] : preposition l^e / [hebrew]L[/hebrew] (to) + Piel infinitive construct of bāqar / [hebrew]BQR[/hebrew] to reflect Pr 20:25. (HALOT).

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:26):

[hebrew]mZRH R$(YM mLK XkM
WY$B (LYHM )WpN[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

m^ezāreh r^eshā‘īm melek khākam
wayyāsheb ‘^alēyhem ’ōpān

Translation (Waltke):

The wise king winnows the wicked,
and brings back the cartwheel over them.

Comment (brackets added):

A wise [khākam] king (melek]; see 14:28) is the topic of both versets, and their predicates pertain to his condemning sentence and to his extinguishing the wicked. The metaphor winnows [m^ezāreh; see 20:8] the wicked [r^eshā‘īm] signifies that he rids the earth of the guilty. (Con)sequential and [way] represents verset B as occurring after the scattering, but in fact the threshing precedes the scattering. The dischronology underscores in the emphasizing B verset that in the judicial process the wise king thoroughly separates the wicked from the righteous — so that when he scatters them shortly thereafter he will have disposed of all of them. He brings back [yāsheb] (literally "causes to return"; [...]) represents the wheel of the cart going over the heads of grain many times to thresh it thoroughly. The wheel (’ōpān) always refers to the wheel of a vehicle [...] [...] Over them [‘^alēyhem] implicitly likens the wicked to chaff and husks, which is first threshed with the cartwheel and then scattered to the wind with fork and shovel. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

m^ezāreh / [hebrew]mZRH[/hebrew] : Piel participle of zārāh / [hebrew]ZRH[/hebrew] to scatter Pr 20:26. (HALOT).
r^eshā‘īm / [hebrew]R$(YM[/hebrew] : masculine plural of rāshā‘ / [hebrew]R$([/hebrew] guilty, wicked person (HALOT).
melek / [hebrew]mLK[/hebrew] : king.
khākam] / [hebrew]XkM[/hebrew] wise
wayyāsheb / [hebrew]WY$B[/hebrew] : consecutive way / [hebrew]WY[/hebrew] (and) + Hiphil imperf. 3 m.s. of shūb / [hebrew]$WB[/hebrew] cause to return, bring back Pr 20:26. (BDB).
‘^alēyhem / [hebrew](LYHM[/hebrew] : preposition ‘al / [hebrew](L[/hebrew] (over) + 3 m.p. suffix ēyhem / [hebrew]YHM[/hebrew] (them).
’ōpān / [hebrew])WpN[/hebrew] : wheel of (threshing) cart Pr 20:26. (BDB).

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:27):

[hebrew]nR YHWH n$mT )DM Xp$
kL XDRY B+N[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

nēr YHWH nishmat ’ādām khōpēs
kol khadrē-bāten

Translation (Waltke):

The words of a human being are the lamp of the LORD,
shedding light on his innermost parts.

Comment (brackets added):

The LORD, who inspires his king (16:10) and guides him (21:1), knows every human thought and motive. The catchwords LORD (YHWH) and human being (’ādām) connect [verse 27] to verse 24 and verse 25. The disciple can trust the LORD to help him and not avenge himself (verse 22) because the LORD, in addition to being moral (verse 23) and sovereign (verse 24), is also omniscient (verse 27). All three attributes are essential for the LORD to execute perfect justice. Verset A represents his omniscience by the metaphor of a lamp [nēr], and verset B gives the interpretation. The proverb makes best sense by construing "breath" (n^eshāmāh) as a metonymy for words (or speech), just as rūakh "wind/spirit," a synonym of n^eshāmāh (see Job 33:4), connoted "thoughts" > "words" in 1:23b (cf. Job 26:4; 32:18). [...] To continue this connotation, shedding light on glosses the metonymy of adjunct to "searching out" (khōpēs), which in the Piel refers to the result of making a thorough search [...] and in the Qal to the performance of the act. All (kol) emphasizes the entirety of the measured thing, of one's innermost parts (khadrē-bāten, literally "chambers of the belly"; see 18:8; 20:29), an Egyptian expression to denote the human heart as the hidden place where in the deepest layer of human existence the truth about a person is to be found. In sum, a person's speech associated with his breath serves as the LORD's flashlight to expose human thought, inclination, and will in the darkest recesses of a person's life. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

nēr / [hebrew]nR[/hebrew] : lamp.
nishmat / [hebrew]n$mT[/hebrew] : construct form of n^eshāmāh / [hebrew]n$mH[/hebrew] breath ; spirit of man Pr 20:27. BDB).
khōpēs / [hebrew]Xp$[/hebrew] : Qal participle of khāpas / [hebrew]Xp$[/hebrew] search = test Pr 20:27. (BDB).
khadrē-bāten / [hebrew]XDRY B+N[/hebrew] : see Glossary here.

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:28):

[hebrew]XSD W)mT YcRW mLK
WS(D BXSD kS)W[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

khesed we’^emet yitstsrū melek
w^esā‘ad bakhesed kis’ō

Translation (Waltke):

Kindness and reliability guard the king,
and he upholds his throne through kindness.

Comment (brackets added):

The catchword king (melek) matches his judgment on the wicked (verse 26) with his kindness and reliability (khesed we’^emet; [...]) to his helpless covenant partner in need of being avenged (see verse 22), bringing the unit on trusting the LORD, not self, to a conclusion. Verset A personifies these as guardians protecting the king. the plural verb guard (yitstsrū; [...]) personifies these distinct virtues as also protecting the one who commissions them to serve the needy. And [w^e] combines with the cause of verset A a further clarification of the unified consequence. He upholds (sā‘ad) looks back to the king as its subject, and the verb means "to maintain someone or something by supplying it with things necessary for existence," such as food for the heart [...]. In that light, with kindness [khesed] — "and reliability" is gapped [...] — is essential for the existence of his throne (kis’ō; see verse 20:8), symbolizing his royal authority and dominion. [...] In sum, the LORD sustains his king, an exemplar of all leaders, by empowering the king to support, uphold, and maintain his throne by helping the deserving helpless in their need. — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

khesed / [hebrew]XSD[/hebrew] : mercy Pr 20:28. (BDB).
we’^emet / [hebrew]W)mT[/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + ’^emet / [hebrew])mT[/hebrew] faithfulness Pr 20:28. (BDB).
yitstsrū / [hebrew]YcRW[/hebrew] : Qal imperfect 3 m.p. of nātsar / [hebrew]ncR[/hebrew] guard from dangers, preserve Pr 20:28. (BDB).
melek / [hebrew]mLK[/hebrew] : king.
w^esā‘ad / [hebrew]WS(D[/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + Qal perfect 3 m.s. of sā‘ad / [hebrew]S(D[/hebrew] support throne (subject king) Pr 20:28. (BDB).
bakhesed / [hebrew]BXSD[/hebrew] : preposition b^e / [hebrew]B[/hebrew] (by) + assimilated definite article ha / [hebrew]H[/hebrew] (the) + khesed / [hebrew]XSD[/hebrew].
kis’ō / [hebrew]kS)W[/hebrew] : kissē’ / [hebrew]kS)[/hebrew] (throne) + possessive pronoun suffix ō / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (his).

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 20:29):

[hebrew]Tp)RT BXWRYM kXM
WHDR ZQnYM $YBH[/hebrew]

Transliteration:

tip’eret bakhūrīm kōkhām
wah^adar z^eqēnīm sēbāh

Translation (Waltke):

The splendor of choice young men is their strength,
and the majesty of the aged is their gray hair.

Comment (brackets added):

Synthetic parallels surprisingly juxtapose choice young men (bakhūrīm; [...]) with the aged [z^eqēnīm] (see 17:6). The former conveys a stereotyped meaning that can be derived from its root meaning, to make a well-thought-out choice according to the principle of their natural strength [...]. The parallels also juxtapose the characterizing distinctives: their strength [kōkhām] (i.e., their vital power; [...]) of the former, and their gray hair [sēbāh] (see 16:31, their wisdom) of the latter. Though contrasting the generations, the parallels are synthetic, signaled by conjunctive and [wa = w^e], because they do not represent the generations as rivals but celebrate their adornments that reveal the generations are are mutually dependent on each other. The strength of youth is their splendor (tip’eret; see 19:11), which is often used of a crown. The aged wear their wisdom in majesty (h^adar; see 14:28), validating the way of wisdom, for it is won through a righteous life (16:31; cf. 17:6) and the fear of the LORD (cf. 10:27). — Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 15-31 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2005).

Glossary:

tip’eret / [hebrew]Tp)RT[/hebrew] : fame, honor Pr 20:29. (HALOT).
bakhūrīm / [hebrew]BXWRYM[/hebrew] : young (fully grown, vigorous, unmarried) man Pr 20:29. (HALOT).
kōkhām / [hebrew]kXM[/hebrew] : kōakh / [hebrew]kX[/hebrew] (strength, power) + 3 m.p. possessive pronoun suffix ām / [hebrew]M[/hebrew] (their).
wah^adar / [hebrew]WHDR[/hebrew] : conjunction w^e / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] (and) + construct form of hādār / [hebrew]HDR[/hebrew] adornment, splendor of old men Pr 20:29. (HALOT).
z^eqēnīm / [hebrew]ZQnYM[/hebrew] : plural of zāqēn / [hebrew]ZQN[/hebrew] old man (HALOT).
sēbāh / [hebrew]$YBH[/hebrew] : the gray hair of an old man Pr 20:29. (HALOT).