Proverbs

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:13):

[hebrew]BZ LDBR YXBL LW
WYR) mcWH HW) Y$LM[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

bāz l^edābār yēkhābel lō,
w^eyārē’ mitswā hū’ y^eshullām.

Translation (Waltke):

The one who despises an [inspired] word will be ruined by it,
but as for the one who fears a commandment, he will be requited.

Comment (brackets added):

The proverb contrasts the ruin of one who despises (bāz; see 1:7) God's word with the reward of one who fears (yārē’; see 1:7) [his] command (mitswā; [...]). Dābār, glossed an [inspired] word, can mean "matter/affair," its meaning in 11:13 (cf. 18:4) and preferred by the LXX, which renders "he who slights a matter." [...] However, it more probably means "word" after bāz (cf. Num. 15:31). [...] Will be ruined by it glosses yēkhābel lō (literally "will become a debtor to it"). [...] Tautologous he (hū’) emphasizes that very person. Will be requited (y^eshullām; see 11:31) in antithesis to "to be ruined" has its positive sense to receive one's reward.

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:14):

[hebrew]TWRT XkM mQWR XYYM
LSWR mmQ$Y mWT[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

tōrāt khākām m^eqōr khayyīm,
lāsūr mimmōq^eshē māwet.

Translation (Waltke):

The teaching of the wise is a wellspring of life,
turning [one] aside from the snares of death.

Comment (brackets added):

The teaching (tōrāt; [= construct state of tōrā]) of the wise (khākām; [...]) is pictured as a wellspring (m^eqōr; [= construct state of māqōr]) of life (khayyīm; [...]) springing up from the ground alongside the traveled road mined with lethal traps. Turning . . . aside (lāsūr; [= preposition + Qal infinitive construct]) expresses either a result clause ("so that it ..." [NJPS, NIV, NRSV]) or a purpose clause, "([the teaching aims] to . . .)." [...] From the snares (mimmōq^eshē; [= preposition + construct state of the plural of mōqēsh] see 12:13) of death (māwet; see 10:2) is a broken myth and/or an idiom like "tree of life."

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:15):

[hebrew]$kL +WB YTN XN
WDRK BGDYM )YDM[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

sēkel tōb yitten khēn,
w^ederek bōg^edīm ’ēdām.

Translation (Waltke):

Good judgment wins favor,
but the way of the treacherous leads to their destruction.

Comment (brackets added):

By modifying "prudence" (sēkel; [...]) -- here glossed judgment to satisfy the English idiom -- with good (tōb; [...]) the proverb underscores a particular and outstanding moral clarity to perceive the appropriate course of action to promote life. Wins or produces (yitten; [...]) invests nātan [the verb of which yitten is an inflected form], meaning broadly "to give," with a particular nuance, "to produce," "to give occasion or cause for," "to bring about." [...] Favor (khēn; [...]) denotes being pleasing and attractive to others, presumably to God and the community. But whereas the wise wins the favor of God and society and so endures, the way (w^ederek; [...]) of the treacherous (bōg^edīm; or disloyal [...]) ends in a cul-de-sac. Leads to glosses the gapped yitten to satisfy the English idiom with "way" and their destruction (’ēdām [Note: retroverted from LXX (cf. Syr.) apōleia]).

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:16):

[hebrew]kL (RWM Y($H BD(T
WkSYL YpR$ )WLT[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

kol ‘ārūm ya‘^aseh b^edā‘at,
ūk^esīl yiprōs ’iwwelet.

Translation (Waltke):

Every shrewd person takes cover through knowledge,
but a fool spreads out folly.

Comment (brackets added):

This proverb contrasts every (kol, i.e., there are no exceptions) shrewd person (‘ārūm; [...]) with a fool (k^esīl; [...]). The shrewd person takes cover [i.e., protects himself] through [or acts with, ya‘^aseh b^e; [...]] knowledge (dā‘at; [...]), a knowledge that includes seeing danger beforehand and taking refuge (22:3) and that speaks cautiously and prudently (see 12:23). [...] By contrast,, the narcissistic fool, who hates to link moral behavior with the moral consequences, neurotically parades his folly (’iwwelet; [...]), a metonymy for his morally insolent words and deeds. Pāras, glossed spreads out (yiprōs), takes as its object a garment, fishing net, snare, and so on. Here it is used metaphorically with the particular sense of "to display," "like a peddler who openly spreads his wares before the gaze of all men."

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:17):

[hebrew]mL)K R$( YpL BR(
WcYR )mWnYM mRp)[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

malāk rāshā‘ yippōl b^erā‘,
w^etsīr ’^emūnīm marpē’.

Translation (Waltke):

A wicked messenger perishes through evil,
but a faithful envoy is one who brings healing.

Comment (brackets added):

Because the LORD upholds a moral order, the wicked (rāshā‘; [...]) messenger [malāk] perishes (yippōl, i.e., plunges himself into ruin; [...]) through [b^e] evil (rā‘). [...] The metaphorical representation of a faithful (’^emūnā; or trustworthy, [...]) envoy (tsīr) as one who brings healing [marpē’] represents him as a therapeutic agent who refreshes his client [...] and contributes to the healing of a sick community.

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:18):

[hebrew]RY$ WQLWN pWR( mWSR
W$WmR TWkXT YkBD[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

rēsh w^eqālōn pōrēa‘ mūsār,
w^eshōmēr tōkakhat y^ekubbād.

Translation (Waltke):

The person who ignores instruction meets with poverty and disgrace,
but the one who heeds correction will be honored.

Comment (brackets added):

The one who ignores (pōrēa‘; or flouts [...]) the restraints of the chastening instruction (mūsār; [...]) meets with poverty (rēsh; [...]) and disgrace (w^eqālōn; [...]). The compound expression is a hendiadys denoting shameful poverty. By contrast, the one who heeds (shōmēr; [...] 10:17) correction (tōkakhat; [...]) will be honored (y^ekubbād; [...]). [...] Paradoxically, those who flout formative discipline are disciplined by poverty and shame, but those who submit to such discipline from others come to have weight in the eyes of others.

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:19):

[hebrew]T)WH nHYH T(RB Lnp$
WTW(BT kSYLYM SWR mR([/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

ta’^ewāh nihyāh te‘^erab l^enāpesh,
w^etō‘^abat k^esīlīm sūr mērā‘.

Translation (Waltke):

A desire that comes to pass is pleasant to the soul,
but an abomination of fools is to depart from evil.

Note:

A desire (ta’^ewāh) that comes to pass (nihyāh = Niphal participle of [hebrew]HYH[/hebrew] become, take place, happen, be) is pleasant (te‘^erab = Qal imperfect of [hebrew](RB[/hebrew] be pleasing) to the soul (l^enāpesh). To depart (sūr) from (mē) evil (rā‘) is an abomination (tō‘^abat) to fools (k^esīlīm).

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:20):

[hebrew]HLK )T XQmYM WXkM
WR(H kSYLYM YRW([/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

hālōk ’et kh^akāmīm w^ekhākam,
w^erō‘eh k^esīlīm yērōa‘.

Translation (Waltke):

Walk with the wise and become wise,
for whoever associates with fools suffers harm.

Comment (brackets added):

Walk (hālōk; [...]) is an incomplete metaphor for the context, conduct, and consequences of his lifestyle [...]. With (’et) marks accompaniment (companionship and fellowship; cf. Amos 3:2) and entails being "under the instruction, encouragement and example" of the wise (kh^akāmīm; [...]). As a result the son will become wise (w^ekhākam; [...]). [...] Whoever associates (rō‘eh) is also used negatively in its other two uses in Proverbs as an antithetical parallel to the virtuous [...]. With fools (k^esīlīm; [...]) entails that they, too, shape him, but for the bad, not good, by exciting his interests, forming his resolutions, and fixing his habits [...]. Suffers harm (yērōa‘ [= Niphal imperfect 3 m.s. of rā‘a‘]; [...]) plays with the noun rā‘ in v. 19b, but whereas there it denoted moral harm against others, here the verbal root denotes harm to oneself.

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:21):

[hebrew]X+)YM TRDP R(H
W)T cDYQYM Y$LM +WB[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

khatā’īm t^eraddēp rā‘āh,
w^e’et tsaddīqīm y^eshallem tōb.

Translation (Waltke):

Trouble pursues sinners,
but good things reward the righteous.

Comment (brackets added):

Trouble (rā‘āh; or evil, rā‘āh; [...]) is personified as a hunter. As the avenger of blood pursued the manslayer [...] the harm done to others pursues (t^eraddēp; see 11:19) to chase, hunt down, overtake, and destroy sinners (khatā’īm; [...]). [...] By contrast, good things (tōb; literally "good"; see 13:2) is personified as a benefactor who reward[s] (y^eshallem; see 13:13; [...]) the righteous (tsaddīqīm; [...]).

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:22):

[hebrew]TWB YnXYL BnY BnYM
WcpWN LcDYQ XYL XW+)[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

tōb yankhīl b^enē-bānīm,
w^etsāpūn l^etsaddīq khayil khōtē’.

Translation (Waltke):

A good person gives [wealth] as an inheritance to his grandchildren,
but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous person.

Comment (brackets added):

Tōb, the last word in v. 21, referred to material good (bonum), but as the first word in v. 22 it refer s to a good person (bonus). The person who functions according to that for which he was created gives [wealth] as an inheritance (yankhīl; [= Hiphil imperfect of nākhal]) to his grandchildren (b^enē-bānīm; literally, "sons of sons"), signifying that the family inheritance is enduring from generation to generation. Khayil, glossed wealth, has the essential meaning of "strength" or "power" here and functions as a metonymy for any and all valuable property (see 12:4). Wealth places one in the favorable circumstance of being able to help others, but that of a sinner (khōtē’; [...]) is stored up (tsāpūn; [= Qal passive participle of tsāpan]) for the righteous person (tsaddīq; [...]).

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:23):

[hebrew]RB )kL nYR R)$YM
WY$ nSpH BL) m$p+[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

rob-’ōkel nīr rā’shīm,
w^eyēsh nispeh b^elō’ mishāt.

Translation (Waltke):

The unplowed field of poor people yields plenty of food,
but there is a being swept away by injustice.

Comment (brackets added):

Unplowed field (nīr) is used two other times [...]. The fields of poor people (rā’shīm [Qal masc. pl. ptcp. of rūsh]) may be either the meager, marginal fields of the poor or else the land that an owner left unplowed and unused during the sabbatical year so that the poor could get food from it [...], a law that Israel observed badly [...]. [...] The proverb assumes that the poor in view work hard in collecting plenty of food (rob-’ōkel, [...]). Unfortunately, but there is (w^eyēsh; [...]) a being swept away (nispeh [Niphal masc. sing. ptcp. of sāpāh]). [...] Through (b^e) injustice (lō’ mishāt; [...]).

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:24):

[hebrew]XW$K $B+W $n) BnW
W)HBW $XRW mWSR[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

khōsēk shibtō sōnē’ b^enō,
w^e’ōh^abō shikh^arō mūsār.

Translation (Waltke):

The one who holds back his rod is one who hates his son,
but the one who loves his son seeks him diligently with discipline.

Comment (brackets added):

The one who holds back (khōsēk [= Qal active participle of khāsak / [hebrew]X$K[/hebrew]]) his rod of remedial punisment (shibtō [= shibet / [hebrew]$B+[/hebrew] + possessive pronoun suffix ō / [hebrew]W[/hebrew]]) is one who hates (sōnē’ [= Qal active participle of sānē’ / [hebrew]$n)[/hebrew]]) his son (b^enō [= bēn / [hebrew]BN[/hebrew] + possessive pronoun suffix ō / [hebrew]W[/hebrew]]). But the one who loves him (w^e’ōh^abō [= prefixed conjunction w^e + Qal active participle of ’āhab / [hebrew])HB[/hebrew] + possessive pronoun suffix]), in spite of the difficulties involved, seeks him diligently (shikh^arō [= Piel perfect 3rd masculine singular of shākhar / [hebrew]$XR[/hebrew] + pronoun suffix]) with discipline (mūsār; [...]).

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 13:25):

[hebrew]cDYQ )kL L$B( np$Y
WB+N R$(YM TXSR[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

tsaddīq ’ōkēl l^esōba‘ napshō,
ūbeten r^eshā‘īm tekhsār.

Translation (Waltke):

The righteous person is the one who eats to the satisfying of his appetite,
but the belly of the wicked lacks [bread].

Comment (brackets added):

A righteous person (tsaddīq; [...) reciprocally is fed so that he too is one who eats (’ōkēl; [...]), a function necessary to life, well-being, and joy [...]. To the satisfying (l^esōba‘; [...]) of his appetite (napshō; [...]), which refers to his physical, spiritual, and emotional drives and desires [...]. The belly (beten) denotes the lower abdomen of either a man or a woman [...], and more specifically either the stomach that receives and distributes the nourishment [...] or the "womb" [...]. That of the wicked (r^eshā‘īm; [...]) lacks [bread] (tekhsār [= Qal impf. 3 f.s. of khāsēr / [hebrew]XSR[/hebrew]]).

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 14:1):

[hebrew]XkmWT n$YM BnTH BYTH
W)WLT BYDYH THRSnW[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

khakmōt nāshīm bān^etāh bētāh,
w^e’iwwelet b^eyādéhā tehersénnū.

Translation (Waltke):

As for the wise among women, [each] builds her house,
but a foolish woman with her own hands tears it down.

Comment (brackets added):

As for the wise [khakmōt] among women (nāshīm) shows that flesh and blood women are in view, not a personified abstraction as in 1:20; 9:1. [Each] builds (bān^etāh [...]) focuses on each one taking individual initiative and responsibility. [...] In 9:1 her house (bētāh) refers to a patrician's building; here it designates her solidarity with the community and the property connected with her "household" [...]. But a foolish woman (w^e’iwwelet; [...]) stands in sharp antithesis to wise women, both in number and in sense. The plural may suggest that the wise live in community and produce many fine households to live in the land, but the intractable and morally senseless woman [...] lives alone, and at the end of the day her house is gone [...]. With her own hands (b^eyādéhā; [...]) underscores that the destruction of her family and property is due to her own incompetence (i.e., her arrogance and incorrigibility, poor speech, hot temper, and lack of self-control). The figure tears ... down (tehersénnū), a stock-in- trade antithetical parallel to "build" ([...]), signifies "to ruin," "to destroy."

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)

[John Reece]

Text (Proverbs 14:2):

[hebrew]HWLK BY$RW YR) YHWH
WnLWZ DRkYW BWZHW[/Hebrew]

Transliteration:

hōlēk b^eyāsh^erō y^erē’ YHWH,
ūn^elōz d^erākāyw bōzēhū.

Translation (Waltke):

Whoever fears the LORD walks in his being upright,
but whoever despises him is perverse in his ways.

Comment (brackets added):

Whoever fears the LORD (y^erē’ YHWH; [...]) is classified as one who walks (hōlēk; [= Qal active participle of hālak / [hebrew]HLK[/hebrew] walk]) in ... his being upright (b^eyāsh^erō [= prefixed preposition b^e / [hebrew]B[/hebrew] + yāshār / [hebrew]Y$R[/hebrew] upright + suffixed possessive pronoun ō / [hebrew]W[/hebrew]]), is a metonymy for his way. [...] But ... whoever despises him (i.e., the LORD, ū ... bōzēhū [= conjunction ū / [hebrew]W[/hebrew] + Qal active participle 3 m.s. of bāzāh / [hebrew]BZH[/hebrew] despise + suffixed pronoun ū / [hebrew]W[/hebrew]]) is classified as one who is perverse (n^elōz; [= Niphal participle m.s. construct of lūz / [hebrew]LWZ[/hebrew] go the wrong way]). [...] In his ways (d^erākāyw; [= plural of derek / [hebrew]DRK[/hebrew] way + suffixed possessive pronoun]]) functions in the same way as "walk" in the A verset.

-- Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs 1-15 (NICOT: Eerdmans, 2004)