Here begin the proverbs of Solomon in antithetic couplets: the wise son and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked, the diligent hand and the slack. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, and the memory of the righteous is a blessing.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.
verse value 2270
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "son" (בֵּ֣ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "gladdens·father" (יְשַׂמַּח־אָ֑ב, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·son" (וּבֵ֥ן), "grief·of" (תּוּגַ֥ת). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wise" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "son" (root בן, 51x in Proverbs); "fool" (root כסיל, 49x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root תוגה ("grief·of") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'gladdens·father', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: מִשְׁלֵ֗י [the·proverbs·of] (380) + שְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה [Solomon] (375) + בֵּ֣ן [son] (52) + חָ֭כָם [wise] (68) + יְשַׂמַּח־אָ֑ב [gladdens·father] (361) + וּבֵ֥ן [and·son] (58) + כְּ֝סִ֗יל [fool] (120) + תּוּגַ֥ת [grief·of] (809) + אִמּֽוֹ [his·mother] (47) = 2270.
Rashi
Proverbs of Solomon: A wise son makes his father happy This is the Holy One, blessed be He (Midrash); another explanation: his actual father. but a foolish son is the grief of his mother He is always with his mother at home, and she sees his foolishness and is troubled. And according to the allegory, a foolish son, like Jeroboam the son of Nebat, is the grief of his mother, the grief of his nation.
Ibn Ezra
"The proverbs of Solomon: a wise son makes a glad father" — because he [the father] recognizes his [son's] wisdom. "The grief of his mother" — because the fool remains always at home, and the mother worries on his account; or, because he mentioned the father, he also mentioned the mother.
Ralbag
"The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son..." etc., until "Hashem's name is a tower of strength" (Proverbs 18:10). This [section] deals comprehensively with the disgrace of wickedness, foolishness, scoffing, laziness, folly, obstinacy, and hatred, and with the praise of their opposites. Now, a son who is wise gladdens his father, for the father values the matter of wisdom more than the mother does; but a son who is a fool brings grief to his mother, because of his lack of understanding, and greater harm comes to his mother from this than what befalls his father from it, because he fears his father more than he fears his mother.
Metzudat David
"The proverbs of Solomon" — Since until now he spoke in praise of the Torah, as though it itself were speaking its own words, and now he returns to speaking his own words, as a man chastises his son — therefore it says again, "The proverbs of Solomon," as though it were a different book. "Makes a father glad" — when he sees him sitting in the assembly of the wise. "Is the grief of his mother" — For the fool constantly stays at home with his mother, and at all times she sees his foolishness, and her sorrow is great.
Metzudat Zion
'Grief' — an expression of sorrow and grief.
Malbim
"A wise son" — one who has gathered the laws of wisdom into himself and conducts himself by them — "makes glad his father," for this is a sign that his father taught him the way of wisdom and discipline. "And a foolish son" — one who strays from the way of wisdom because of his desire, for this is the definition of a fool — "is the grief of his mother," for the mother draws him closer to herself more [than the father does]; and this is why good is always attributed to the father and bad to the mother — for the father is the one who teaches discipline, while the mother longs after her son and does not let the father chastise him with the rod.
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; but righteousness delivers from death.
verse value 2657
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "wickedness" (רֶ֑שַׁע, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·profit" (לֹֽא־י֭וֹעִילוּ, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "not·profit" (לֹֽא־י֭וֹעִילוּ), "treasures·of" (אוֹצְר֣וֹת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wickedness" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "from·death" (root מות, 23x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wickedness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: לֹֽא־י֭וֹעִילוּ [not·profit] (163) + אוֹצְר֣וֹת [treasures·of] (703) + רֶ֑שַׁע [wickedness] (570) + וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה [and·righteousness] (205) + תַּצִּ֥יל [delivers] (530) + מִמָּֽוֶת [from·death] (486) = 2657.
Rashi
Treasures of wickedness will not avail For he was boasting with his riches, as it is stated (Hosea 12:9): “And Ephraim said: Surely I have become rich, etc.” but charity will save from death And if you ask, “A righteous man who squanders his property for charity—from where will he sustain himself?”
Ralbag
"Treasures of wickedness profit nothing" — a person receives no benefit from treasures that he has gathered through wickedness and injustice. But [as for] "righteousness delivers from death" — by the merit of charity, a person is saved from the death decreed for him by the constellation [i.e., the arrangement of the heavenly bodies], and Hashem, may He be blessed, lengthens his days; and the opposite is true of one who gathers wealth through wickedness.
Metzudat David
"Treasures of wickedness" — Treasures gathered through wickedness will not profit when the day of reckoning comes, for he will not redeem his soul with money. "But righteousness" — But righteousness saves from death.
Malbim
"Profit nothing" — there is something that is [inherently] good, and something that is [merely] beneficial. Treasures of silver and grain, even though they are not [inherently] good, can be beneficial in a time of need. But "treasures of wickedness" — that is, treasures amassed through wickedness and violence — have no benefit at all. Further on (11:14) it says, "Wealth does not profit on the day of wrath" — meaning that [even legitimate] wealth does not help on the day of wrath, but wealth of wickedness does not profit even in a time of peace. But "righteousness" — which is the good deed done between man and the Omnipresent — "delivers from death."
Hashem will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; but He thrusts away the desire of the wicked.
verse value 2119
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 2119 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "soul·of" (נֶ֣פֶשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·famish" (לֹא־יַרְעִ֣יב, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "not·famish" (לֹא־יַרְעִ֣יב), "and·desire·of" (וְהַוַּ֖ת), "thrusts" (יֶהְדֹּֽף). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root הוה ("and·desire·of") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'just', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: לֹא־יַרְעִ֣יב [not·famish] (323) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + נֶ֣פֶשׁ [soul·of] (430) + צַדִּ֑יק [just] (204) + וְהַוַּ֖ת [and·desire·of] (417) + רְשָׁעִ֣ים [wicked] (620) + יֶהְדֹּֽף [thrusts] (99) = 2119.
Rashi
The Lord will not starve the soul of the righteous [This is the answer to the previous question.] but the destruction [wrought by] the wicked will cast [them] down It will thrust them down and cause them to fall.
Ibn Ezra
"Will not suffer to famish" — at the time of famine. "And He thrusts away the desire of the wicked" — the word [havat, "desire/craving"] is derived from the same root as "hoveh lahem" [a craving/calamity is theirs].
Ralbag
"Hashem will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish" — the soul of the righteous man, meaning that he will not lack food. But as for the hope of the wicked and their craving — Hashem turns it back against them, and hastens to bring it upon them. Now, as for "he who deals with a slack hand," etc.:
Metzudat David
"Will not suffer to famish" — For He provides him with enough for his need. "But He thrusts away the desire" — The ruin that the wicked bring about will thrust them away; that is to say, the transgression itself repays him with an evil recompense.
Metzudat Zion
'Calamity' — an expression of breaking, as in 'he grew strong through his calamity' (Psalms 54). 'He will thrust away' — an expression of pushing, as in 'like the driving away of smoke' (Psalms 68).
Malbim
"Will not suffer to famish" — in a time of famine, when treasures are of no use since there is no grain to buy, nevertheless "Hashem will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish," as it is written, "...and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied." He also added the word "soul" — "the soul of the righteous" — [meaning] that Hashem will grant him every desire of his soul. But "the craving of the wicked He thrusts away" — [this refers to] the ruin of the wicked: Hashem thrusts it upon them until they fall and do not rise, once they have begun to fall.
He becomes poor who deals with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
verse value 2585
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "becomes·poor" (רָ֗אשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "palm·of·laxness" (כַף־רְמִיָּ֑ה, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "palm·of·laxness" (כַף־רְמִיָּ֑ה), "and·hand·of" (וְיַ֖ד), "diligent" (חָרוּצִ֣ים). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "deals" (root עשה, 34x in Proverbs); "and·hand·of" (root יד, 24x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root רוש ("becomes·poor") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root רמיה ("palm·of·laxness") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'palm·of·laxness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: רָ֗אשׁ [becomes·poor] (501) + עֹשֶׂ֥ה [deals] (375) + כַף־רְמִיָּ֑ה [palm·of·laxness] (355) + וְיַ֖ד [and·hand·of] (20) + חָרוּצִ֣ים [diligent] (354) + תַּעֲשִֽׁיר [makes·rich] (980) = 2585.
Rashi
A poor man makes a deceitful scale Whoever is impoverished in [his knowledge of] Torah promulgates false decisions. deceitful scales Scales of deceit. According to its simple meaning, it refers to merchants. and the hand of those who make true decisions The upright, who decide a matter truly and justly without injustice.
Ibn Ezra
"Poor" — [this describes] one who makes a scale-pan for cheating; whereas those who labor diligently and toil, and do not cheat, their hand shall make them rich. Another explanation: "A slack hand" — makes a man poor.
Ralbag
"He becomes poor who deals with a slack hand" — because on account of his laziness he must act deceitfully in order to take other people's money unlawfully; he is poor. But the hand of the diligent, who act with alacrity to gather and store in a fitting manner, makes them rich. Now, the son who is wise and takes care to do what is fitting gathers in summer —
Metzudat David
"Poor" — A scale of deceit makes a person poor; that is to say, one who weighs with a scale of deceit in order to defraud people will become poor because of this. "But the hand of the diligent" — But the hand of the diligent, who bestir themselves and labor for their sustenance, and whose dealings are not meant to defraud — that hand will make its owner rich.
Metzudat Zion
'Poverty' — poor, as in 'poverty and riches' (below, Proverbs 30). 'Palm' — the pan of the scales. 'Diligent' — its meaning is movement and alacrity, as in 'then you shall bestir yourself' (II Samuel 5).
Malbim
"He becomes poor who deals with a slack hand" [lit. "a palm of deceit"] — "kaf" (palm) denotes only the palms of the hands, while "yad" (hand) denotes the whole hand/arm. That is to say: the "palm of deceit," that is, of the deceiver, does not make him rich but poor. The meaning is that one who is not diligent and quick to bring in his livelihood by the actual labor of the hand, but wants to make his living through deceit rather than through the toil of the hands — only through the dealings of the palm, with which he deceives — that palm makes him poor. But "the hand of the diligent makes rich" — the diligent person, who is quick in his work and labors with his whole hand and with his strength, his hand makes him rich.
A wise son gathers in summer; but a son who does shamefully sleeps in harvest.
verse value 1958
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "son" (בֵּ֣ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "wise" (מַשְׂכִּ֑יל, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 52: son, son. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "gathers" (אֹגֵ֣ר), "sleeps" (נִרְדָּ֥ם). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son" (root בן, 51x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root בוש ("acts·shamefully") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wise', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: אֹגֵ֣ר [gathers] (204) + בַּ֭קַּיִץ [in·the·summer] (202) + בֵּ֣ן [son] (52) + מַשְׂכִּ֑יל [wise] (400) + נִרְדָּ֥ם [sleeps] (294) + בַּ֝קָּצִ֗יר [in·the·harvest] (402) + בֵּ֣ן [son] (52) + מֵבִֽישׁ [acts·shamefully] (352) = 1958.
Ibn Ezra
"A son who acts shamefully" — [meaning] he brings shame upon his father, because he is lazy.
Ralbag
"Gathers in summer" — his food, for then he will find it available. But the son who acts shamefully, meaning that he is slow to move and lazy, sleeps during the harvest, and therefore he will lack bread for the whole year.
Metzudat David
"Gathers" — That is to say, it is the way of a wise son to gather his grain in the days of summer, and to do everything in its proper time. "A son who acts shamefully" — But the fool, in whom every shameful thing is found, it is his way to fall asleep at the time of harvest, and he does nothing in its proper time.
Metzudat Zion
'Gathers' — an expression of gathering, as in 'gathers in harvest' (above, Proverbs 6). 'Fast asleep' — from the word tardeimah (deep sleep), which is a deep sleep.
Malbim
"He who gathers in summer is a wise son" — the "summer" here is [the time] after the harvest, and "gathers" refers to one who collects the kernels one by one; that is, the wise son, in his work, even after the harvest, when there is nothing more in the field to gather and bring in [in bulk], is still occupied gathering the kernels that remain. "He who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully" — the son who acts shamefully, who is slow to move and lazy, not only sleeps in summer, but even during the harvest itself, when all the grain is [still] in the field and it is the time for the work of the field, he sleeps and does nothing. And there is a parable/allegory in this: the wise son continues learning even in his old age; although at that stage he cannot innovate much, but can only gather a little at a time — as it is said, "To what may one who learns in old age be compared?..." — nevertheless, even in the evening [of his life] he does not let his hand rest. But the son who acts shamefully sleeps even in his youth, which is the time of harvest and ingathering.
Blessings are upon the head of the righteous; but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
verse value 2282
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "and·mouth·of" (וּפִ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "blessings" (בְּ֭רָכוֹת, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "blessings" (בְּ֭רָכוֹת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs); "and·mouth·of" (root פה, 34x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root ברכה ("blessings") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root כסה ("conceals") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'just', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: בְּ֭רָכוֹת [blessings] (628) + לְרֹ֣אשׁ [upon·head] (531) + צַדִּ֑יק [just] (204) + וּפִ֥י [and·mouth·of] (96) + רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים [wicked] (620) + יְכַסֶּ֥ה [conceals] (95) + חָמָֽס [violence] (108) = 2282.
Rashi
but violence shall cover the mouth of the wicked The violence shall cover their mouths and kill them.
Ibn Ezra
"Blessings" — Hashem shall bring [them] upon the head of the righteous. Another explanation: "blessings upon the head of the righteous" — during his lifetime. "And the memory of the righteous is for a blessing" — after his death. "Conceals" — he hides the violence, so that it will not be taken away from him, like "he hides it under his tongue" (Job 20:12). And the sense is: they conceal the evil. And likewise: "the mouth of the wicked swallows iniquity" (Proverbs 19:28).
Ralbag
"Blessings are upon the head of the righteous" — blessings come upon the head of the righteous person, that is, the heart, for he constantly thinks about matters of goodness, and these become known to people through his words and deeds. Or this may mean: at the head of the matter and its beginning, the righteous person reveals the blessings toward which he is heading through his actions. Now the wicked are the opposite of this, for their heart is always set on wickedness and violence, but their mouth conceals and covers over the violence they wish to do, and they do not reveal the violence toward which they are heading — for if they revealed it, they would be prevented from doing what they scheme to do. Or this may mean: whatever the righteous person begins, blessings continually follow it, and good things and helpers are added to it so as to bring it to completion, since his intention is always toward the good and toward benefiting people; therefore he can trust that at the head of the matter and its beginning, blessings will follow him, for if others know his intention, they will all help him. But the wicked are the opposite of this, for they always fear that they will not be able to attain what they desire if others know of it; therefore they conceal what they wish to do of violence — and so their recompense will be measure for measure, namely: "the memory of the righteous is for a blessing," etc.
Metzudat David
"Blessings are upon the head of the righteous" — Blessings will come [upon him]. "Conceals violence" — The violence that they commit will cover over their mouth, so that they choke on it; that is to say, the transgression itself exacts payment from him.
Malbim
"Blessings are upon the head of the righteous" — one who performs an act of righteousness, everyone blesses him because of the good that he bestows on all; it is as if it depicts the whole world placing their hands upon his head and blessing him. "But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence" — the wicked person, through his committing violence, which is the opposite of righteousness — not only do others not bless him, but he himself also strives to conceal his deeds, for they contain curse and not blessing.
The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing; but the name of the wicked shall rot.
verse value 1966
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "memory" (זֵ֣כֶר, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·blessing" (לִבְרָכָ֑ה, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "memory" (זֵ֣כֶר), "for·blessing" (לִבְרָכָ֑ה), "and·name·of" (וְשֵׁ֖ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root רקב ("shall·rot") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·blessing', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: זֵ֣כֶר [memory] (227) + צַ֭דִּיק [just] (204) + לִבְרָכָ֑ה [for·blessing] (257) + וְשֵׁ֖ם [and·name·of] (346) + רְשָׁעִ֣ים [wicked] (620) + יִרְקָֽב [shall·rot] (312) = 1966.
Rashi
The mention of a righteous man is for a blessing Whoever mentions a righteous man blesses him. but the name of the wicked shall rot Decay develops in their name, for no one wishes to mention his [the wicked man’s] name, and it is automatically forgotten.
Ibn Ezra
"The memory of the righteous" — Hashem shall remember him for the sake of the blessing that shall come to him, in the sense of "Hashem has remembered us, He will bless" (Psalms 115:12). And the sense is: He will remember him and bless him. "Shall rot" — he shall be forgotten, like a rotting tree, which does not prosper.
Ralbag
"The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing" — because the matter of goodness and its perfection will always keep increasing through remembering him. But "the name of the wicked shall rot," and decay will overtake it, just as their mouth conceals the violence they wish to do. Now, one who does not conduct himself in seeking things through their proper causes is called a fool, and so his folly perverts his way, and he does not attain what he seeks. For this same reason the fool also rushes to speak before his intellect has settled upon the truth and what is correct in what he is about to say, and because of this the fool is called "a prating fool." But one who is wise of heart takes upon himself commandments and orderly procedures, and conducts himself in what he wishes to do so that he may be properly directed to his goal; whereas the "prating fool" rushes to carry out his intention and does whatever he does without deliberation. Now, one who walks in the ways of integrity walks securely, with nothing among people to hinder him, and he is also helped in his good deeds by Hashem. But one whose ways are crooked, who goes about doing violence, is known for what he is; and even though he conceals his affairs with all his strength, what he schemes to do will be taken away from him.
Metzudat David
"The memory of the righteous" — The remembrance of the righteous is for a blessing, for whenever people remember him, they bless him. "Shall rot" — Because people have no desire to remember him, his name is forgotten, as though it had rotted away.
Malbim
"The memory of the righteous" — there is a difference between "name" (shem) and "memory" (zecher): the "name" is a person's own proper name, while the "memory" indicates that by which he is recalled on account of the deeds he performed. For the righteous, even his "memory" stands for a blessing, since his deeds will be recounted in every generation and people will bless him for them. But "the name of the wicked shall rot" — meaning not only are their deeds not remembered, but even their name and their very essence rots away of itself and comes to an end, for they have no perpetuation — neither of the individual soul nor of the species/lineage.
The wise in heart will receive commandments; but a prating fool shall fall.
verse value 1688
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "will·receive" (יִקַּ֣ח, 3 letters) and the longest is "wise·of·heart" (חֲכַם־לֵ֭ב, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "wise·of·heart" (חֲכַם־לֵ֭ב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wise·of·heart" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "lips" (root שפה, 46x in Proverbs); "will·receive" (root לקח, 24x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'commandments', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: חֲכַם־לֵ֭ב [wise·of·heart] (100) + יִקַּ֣ח [will·receive] (118) + מִצְוֺ֑ת [commandments] (536) + וֶאֱוִ֥יל [and·foolish·of] (53) + שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם [lips] (830) + יִלָּבֵֽט [shall·fall] (51) = 1688.
Rashi
The wise-hearted takes commandments This alludes to our teacher, Moses, for all Israel were busy with the plunder of Egypt, and he was busy with the commandments, as is it said (Exod. 13:19): “And Moses took Joseph’s bones, etc.” but he who talks foolishly will weary Heb. ילבט, an expression of weariness. It appears in Sifre, in the section commencing (Num. 11:1): “And the people were as complainers.” They said, “How much have we wearied (נתלבטנו) on the way!”
Ibn Ezra
"Wise of heart" — [meaning] wisdom is in his heart. "Will receive commandments" — that others will teach him. "But a fool of lips" — [meaning] his lips speak folly. "Shall fall" — [its] meaning is: he shall stumble.
Metzudat David
"Will receive commandments" — He will receive them at all times and never cease receiving them; but the fool wearies only his lips, speaking much, while doing nothing at all.
Metzudat Zion
'Shall fall' — an expression of weariness and stumbling; likewise, 'and a people that does not understand shall stumble' (Hosea 4:14).
Malbim
"The wise in heart will receive commandments" — the "wise one" is one who conducts himself according to the laws of wisdom, as above. Now, it has already been explained that the nature of the heart's inclination is opposed to wisdom, and every person wages a constant war with the inclination of his heart and its desires, which drive him toward the opposite of the way of wisdom. The person who has already grown so accustomed to the way of wisdom that it has become for him a second nature, and whose heart — which is the ruling faculty within him — no longer stirs toward evil at all, is the one called "wise of heart." Now, one who is only "wise" would "hear" or "keep" a commandment, meaning that he would conduct himself according to Hashem's command, but he would not "take/receive" a commandment — for we do not find the language of "taking" used regarding a commandment except here. For the nature of a command is that the commandment orders and compels [a person] to carry out its charge, and he performs it only because of the command's charge, not of his own accord — for were it not for the charge of the commandment, the heart's inclination would act in the opposite way. This is the opposite of the language of "taking," which indicates that one takes hold of the commandment with the desire of his own heart and pursues it. Only the one who is "wise of heart," who no longer has any inner war, and in whom wisdom has found rest within his heart as a matter of nature — he will "take" a commandment by his own nature and will. "But a prating fool shall fall" — the "fool" [ivil] is one who has doubts about the laws of wisdom and their truth, and this is the difference between him and the "dullard" (kesil) and the "simpleton" (peti). And "a prating fool" [lit. "a fool of lips"] is one who in his heart believes in the truth of wisdom, but only speaks doubts with his outward lips — that although he behaves wisely, because his heart is more inclined to believe in [wisdom's truths], nevertheless he speaks folly and doubts with his lips, because he has not concluded firmly in his mind that the laws of wisdom admit no doubt at all. He is the opposite of the one "wise of heart" for whom [wisdom] has become a second nature: he "stumbles" and wears himself out. Or, as some explain, the word "yilavet" [stumble] is used in Arabic for one who wavers between two opinions [lit. "hops between two branches"], for at times he strays from wisdom, as will be explained.
He who walks uprightly walks securely; but he who perverts his ways shall be found out.
verse value 1428
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "in·the·integrity" (בַּ֭תֹּם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·who·perverts" (וּמְעַקֵּ֥שׁ, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "in·the·integrity" (בַּ֭תֹּם), "and·he·who·perverts" (וּמְעַקֵּ֥שׁ). The root הלך appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·ways" (root דרך, 74x in Proverbs); "he·who·walks" (root הלך, 35x in Proverbs); "shall·be·known" (root ידע, 35x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'securely', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: הוֹלֵ֣ךְ [he·who·walks] (61) + בַּ֭תֹּם [in·the·integrity] (442) + יֵ֣לֶךְ [walks] (60) + בֶּ֑טַח [securely] (19) + וּמְעַקֵּ֥שׁ [and·he·who·perverts] (516) + דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו [his·ways] (240) + יִוָּדֵֽעַ [shall·be·known] (90) = 1428.
Rashi
will be broken Heb. יודע, will be broken and chastised, as in (Jud. 8:16): “And with them he broke (ויודע) the men of Succoth.”
Ibn Ezra
"Walks securely" — [meaning] he is not afraid of trouble. "But he who perverts his ways" — the good ones — becomes known; he is exposed to others as one who perverts his ways, when he falls into misfortune. And the proof is [the contrast with] "walks securely." Another explanation: "shall be found out" — [related to] "shall be broken," from the same sense as "and acquainted with sickness" (Isaiah 53:3).
Metzudat David
"Uprightly" — With integrity of heart. "But he who perverts" — He who twists his ways to walk in deceit will be broken and crushed.
Metzudat Zion
'Shall be found out' — an expression of breaking, as in 'and with them he tore up the men of Succoth' (Judges 8:16).
Malbim
"He who walks in integrity" — He gives a parable about this, by likening the way of wisdom to the way of folly: one who walks in the way of wisdom in simplicity is like one who walks at a fork in the roads and is shown the straight path, and he believes and walks — he walks securely, profiting in two respects: that he will not stumble, and also that he walks trustingly, without fear. And conversely, one who does not walk in the good path that he was shown, but instead perverts his ways onto a crooked path — "he shall be known" through sufferings; or, that is to say, he shall become known and be exposed before those who lie in ambush on the roads — robbers and dangerous beasts that are found on the crooked path. And after he considered the two opposites, he considered two intermediate cases. Against what was said, that one who perverts his ways in practice becomes known, he says that one who "winks the eye" — who walks on the straight path, but winks his eyes and hints also toward the second path, searching for which path is the correct one — even though he will not be harmed, since he walked on the straight path, nevertheless this will already produce grief in his heart, since he remains in doubt (as it says regarding a similar case (Isaiah 50), "you shall lie down in torment"). And also one who is merely "a fool of lips" — who likewise does not look to search out the crooked path, because he relies on the tradition that showed him the good path, and walks in the way of wisdom in his heart, only that with his outer lips he is foolish and uncertain — he too "shall stumble."
He who winks with the eye causes sorrow; and a prating fool shall fall.
verse value 2476
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "he·who·winks" (קֹ֣רֵֽץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·foolish·of" (וֶאֱוִ֥יל, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "pain" (עַצָּ֑בֶת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "lips" (root שפה, 46x in Proverbs); "eye" (root עין, 43x in Proverbs); "gives" (root נתן, 34x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'pain', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: קֹ֣רֵֽץ [he·who·winks] (390) + עַ֭יִן [eye] (130) + יִתֵּ֣ן [gives] (460) + עַצָּ֑בֶת [pain] (562) + וֶאֱוִ֥יל [and·foolish·of] (53) + שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם [lips] (830) + יִלָּבֵֽט [shall·fall] (51) = 2476.
Rashi
He who winks his eye causes grief That is the one who entices a person to evil with his winks.
Ibn Ezra
"Who winks" — [winks] in order to do evil. "Causes sorrow" — sorrow to his own soul; and it says "winks" because he is afraid to act openly, and this is a matter of hinting [with the eye]. Another explanation: "winks" — [means] mocks. "Causes sorrow" — to his fellow; it will trouble him if he sees that he is mocking him. And some wish to say that he did not act out of mockery, yet nonetheless "his lips shall stumble."
Ralbag
"He who winks with the eye" — [does so] in order to harm people through his gestures. This brings sorrow and anger upon them, and it will result in shame to him and to the one hinted at. For when the latter comes to think, from these gestures, that this man is acting against him or speaking against him, he will grow angry over it, and he may be so affected by it that it harms the one hinted at, damaging and harming both of them in this way. It may also become clear afterward that the matter was false, and then he will be greatly pained over having been so affected on account of the gesture of this winker of the eye. But one who is "a prating fool" does not say this in secret; rather he says his words in order to stir up strife between the two of them — he shall fall, meaning that his counsel is rash, and it will harm no one but himself, by revealing his evil intent. Now, the mouth of the righteous is, in essence, from what is in the heart, which is "a fountain of life," etc.
Metzudat David
"Winks with the eye" — One who signals with his eye to do evil to someone — this matter causes grief in the heart of the one against whom the signal is made, for he [the one winking] will not rest until he completes the deed, since, not having expressed it with his lips, his anger has not been put to rest; but a fool who speaks with his lips about doing the evil then grows weary and tired of doing that deed, for his anger is put to rest through the venting of his words.
Metzudat Zion
'Winks' — an expression of movement and signaling, as in 'winks with his eyes' (above, Proverbs 7).
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life; but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
verse value 1627
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "mouth·of" (פִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "wicked" (רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים, 5 letters). The root פה appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs); "mouth·of" (root פה, 34x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'just', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: מְק֣וֹר [fountain·of] (346) + חַ֭יִּים [life] (68) + פִּ֣י [mouth·of] (90) + צַדִּ֑יק [just] (204) + וּפִ֥י [and·mouth·of] (96) + רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים [wicked] (620) + יְכַסֶּ֥ה [conceals] (95) + חָמָֽס [violence] (108) = 1627.
Rashi
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked, etc. Their mouth conceals the violence that is in their heart, for they talk smoothly with their lips, but hatred is hidden in their heart. Now the interpretation of this verse is not the same as the above verse (8); the context is indicative of their meaning.
Ibn Ezra
"A fountain" — like a fountain of life, in that whoever learns discipline from his mouth shall live; or, alternatively, his mouth is the place that becomes precious to him [the one who learns] — from there comes life, as he learns its moral instruction. "Conceals violence" — he hides it, and does not teach moral instruction.
Ralbag
"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life" — for the people who hear his words, since from it come the issues of life. But the mouth of the wicked is the opposite of this, for it is not [outwardly] as it is in the heart, since their mouth conceals the violence that is in their heart. Behold, hatred stirs up strife even apart from transgression, for the hater will deem as a transgression something that is not a transgression, and will judge as evil something that is not intended for evil; whereas love covers all transgressions, for the one who loves will deem, regarding the one he loves, something that is a transgression to be no transgression at all.
Metzudat David
"A fountain of life" — The mouth of the righteous is a fountain that gushes forth life into the world, for through the righteousness of the words of his mouth he brings life into the world; but the mouth of the wicked speaks deceit, to conceal the thought of violence that is in his heart.
Metzudat Zion
'Fountain' — a spring.
Malbim
"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life" — The way of wisdom is the way of life, for it leads to true life, whereas its opposite is the way of death; and one who draws the waters of wisdom and drinks from them shall live forever. However, the source from which this life flows is of three kinds: whether from the intellect, by which one attains the good path through his own reasoning — and so it says (below, 16:22), "Understanding is a fountain of life to those who possess it"; or through the teaching of life that one received from the sages who learned the ways of wisdom in the books of the Torah — and so it says (below, 13:14), "The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life"; and for reliance on received tradition one needs the fear of Hashem, which is the discipline of wisdom, as stated above (1:6) — and so it says, "The fear of Hashem is a fountain of life" (below, 14:27). And likewise one learns the particulars of the ways of wisdom by observing the righteous person, one who conducts himself on the path of righteousness, and doing as he does, and learning from his mouth, regarding every particular matter, how to conduct oneself — and this is why it says, "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life." There is a difference between the righteous person and the wise person: the righteous person is not necessarily wise — that is, he has not studied the laws of wisdom through an organized course of learning, to the point that he could organize from them "the teaching of the wise," namely a systematic teaching covering all matters of life and death, good and evil. He is only able to render his judgments on the particular matters that come before him, as to how to act, through having trained himself by nature toward righteousness from the standpoint of practical reasoning applied to particulars. Thus the source from which the life flows is in his mouth, not in his teaching. Not so the wise person, who is able to give general laws extending over all the ways of the conduct of wisdom — this is called "the teaching of the wise" — and he is also able to give laws for being saved from the way of death and its snares, and how one is saved from it: through the fear of Hashem. Therefore, in connection with "the teaching of the wise" and "the fear of Hashem," it says, "to be saved from the snares of death." But as for "the mouth of the wicked" — it is not merely that one cannot learn from their conduct; rather, on the contrary, it conceals violence, as was explained above at verse 6.
Hatred stirs up strifes; but love covers all transgressions.
verse value 2524
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "love" (אַהֲבָֽה) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "and·upon" (וְעַ֥ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·transgressions" (כׇּל־פְּ֝שָׁעִ֗ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "stirs·up" (תְּעֹרֵ֣ר), "and·upon" (וְעַ֥ל), "all·transgressions" (כׇּל־פְּ֝שָׁעִ֗ים). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "love" (root אהב, 31x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root שנאה ("hatred") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root פשע ("all·transgressions") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'strifes', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: שִׂ֭נְאָה [hatred] (356) + תְּעֹרֵ֣ר [stirs·up] (870) + מְדָנִ֑ים [strifes] (144) + וְעַ֥ל [and·upon] (106) + כׇּל־פְּ֝שָׁעִ֗ים [all·transgressions] (550) + תְּכַסֶּ֥ה [covers] (485) + אַהֲבָֽה [love] (13) = 2524.
Rashi
Hatred arouses quarrels Even a sin that was forgotten is remembered though additional iniquities. The final hatred comes and arouses them, for Ezekiel reproved Israel for the transgressions of Egypt (Ezek. 20:7), “And I said to them, ‘Every man shall cast away the abominations of his eyes, etc.’” How many (years was) this hatred hidden, that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not mention it to them until now, when they added transgressions to their sins. but love covers all transgressions When Israel improves their deeds, the Holy One, blessed be He, conceals their transgressions.
Ibn Ezra
"Hatred" — it is a cause that stirs up strife; and love, it covers over transgressions; and the concealment of a matter is a "covering," in that it is not made known. And the sense is: [the verse speaks of] a man of hatred and a man of love.
Metzudat David
"Hatred" — The hatred that a person harbors toward someone stirs up strifes, causing quarrels and taking offense over a trivial matter; but a person's love for his fellow covers over every transgression, so that he does not take offense even at a serious matter.
Metzudat Zion
'Strifes' — an expression of contention and quarrel.
Malbim
"Hatred stirs up strifes" — There is a difference between "riv" (quarrel) and "madon" (dispute/strife). "Riv" is the act of quarreling, in which parties contend with one another, sometimes over nothing at all; and the matter over which they quarrel is called by the abstract term "merivah" (contention). But if the cause of the quarrel is a matter of money or fraud, over which there is a case before a judge, it is called "madon" — and the meaning of "madon" is the matter that is being litigated, a matter not yet clarified as to with whom the right lies; for regarding a matter that has been clarified, the term "transgression," "betrayal," "judgment," and so forth applies, each according to its case. The sage says: know that the cause of these strifes is not the matter in dispute itself, but rather the emotional states within the souls of the disputants — for those who love one another, or people between whom there is no hatred, do not become exacting over small matters, such as damages caused by neighbors and the like. Rather, it is the emotional state of hatred that stirs up the strifes — for through hatred they become begrudging and hostile toward one another, and the strifes that would have lain dormant, were it not for the hatred, are awakened. But the trait of love that is in the soul covers over all transgressions, even great ones — and how much more so does it prevent strifes from being stirred up over small matters.
In the lips of the one who has discernment wisdom is found; but a rod is for the back of the one who is void of understanding.
verse value 2160
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. Verse gematria: 2160 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "for·back·of" (לְגֵ֣ו, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·lips·of" (בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "in·lips·of" (בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wisdom" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "in·lips·of" (root שפה, 46x in Proverbs); "he·who·discerns" (root בין, 46x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root שבט ("and·rod") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root גו ("for·back·of") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wisdom', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י [in·lips·of] (792) + נָ֭בוֹן [he·who·discerns] (108) + תִּמָּצֵ֣א [is·found] (531) + חׇכְמָ֑ה [wisdom] (73) + וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט [and·rod] (317) + לְגֵ֣ו [for·back·of] (39) + חֲסַר־לֵֽב [lacking·of·heart] (300) = 2160.
Rashi
Wisdom is found in the lips of the understanding When a person reproves an understanding individual, he replies to him, “I have sinned,” e.g. David, who said to Nathan, “I have sinned” (11 Sam. 12:13). but a rod is for the body of one devoid of sense But one who is devoid of sense does not listen until he is smitten, like Pharaoh.
Ibn Ezra
"Wisdom is found" — for those who seek it. "And a rod" — because he does not wish to learn knowledge, he needs to be struck with a rod.
Ralbag
"In the lips of him who has discernment" [wisdom is found] — behold, in the discerning person's lips wisdom will be found, and this is the good that is the most wondrous of all goods, as was stated previously. But as for one who lacks a heart [understanding], it is not enough that he is deprived of this good; rather, evil clings to him, and blows to his body continually, for people harm him and strike him on account of the defect in his deeds and his corrupt statements, which come from his lack of understanding.
Metzudat David
"In the lips of the one who has discernment" — When something is asked of the discerning person, you will find in the reply of the words of his lips both the wisdom of understanding and a rod of discipline for the back of the one who lacks understanding; for through his words he condemns the deed of the one who lacks understanding, and it is counted for him like a chastising rod.
Metzudat Zion
'To the back' — to the body, as in 'I gave my back to those who struck me' (Isaiah 50).
Malbim
"In the lips of the one who has understanding, wisdom is found" — There is a difference between the wise person [chacham] and the one who has understanding [navon]. The wise person has gathered the laws of wisdom by tradition from his teachers, and conducts himself according to them without investigating to understand their reasoning; whereas the one who has understanding is one who investigates them in order to understand them and to derive one thing from another. For the wise person, the wisdom is stored up in his heart, and in every matter that arises before him he must take counsel with his heart as to whether his intended action agrees with the laws of wisdom that he received from his teachers. Not so the one who has understanding, who understands the reasoning behind every matter and has already built further conclusions upon them — the laws of wisdom are habitual on his lips. And there is a difference between "lips" and "mouth" or "tongue": "lips" indicates outward speech without any thought at all, suggesting that wisdom is found with the one who has understanding "from the lips outward" — to the point that he need not think about it at all, since it is always ready before him. "But a rod is for the back of the one who lacks a heart" — the heart is the governing faculty within the soul that directs its powers according to the laws of wisdom; and one who behaves in a manner opposite to the laws of wisdom, following some other course, is called "crooked of heart" and the like. But one who has no governance at all, and always behaves however his spirit moves him at the moment — now one way, now another — so that the ruling faculty never operates within him, neither toward the way of wisdom nor toward the way of folly, is called "lacking a heart." Such a person needs a rod to direct him on the way — for a human being, who possesses free choice, is directed onto the path by his heart; but the horse and the donkey, which have no heart to govern their behavior, need a compelling force from outside to direct them, as it is written, "a whip for the horse, and a bridle for the donkey" (Proverbs 26:3). So too, one who lacks a heart is like an animal, and needs a rod to compel him so that he does not twist his paths and cause harm.
Wise men lay up knowledge; but the mouth of the foolish is an imminent ruin.
verse value 1731
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "ruin" (מְחִתָּ֥ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "store·knowledge" (יִצְפְּנוּ־דָ֑עַת, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "store·knowledge" (יִצְפְּנוּ־דָ֑עַת), "and·mouth·of·foolish" (וּפִֽי־אֱ֝וִ֗יל), "ruin" (מְחִתָּ֥ה). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wise" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "and·mouth·of·foolish" (root פה, 34x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root מחתה ("ruin") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'store·knowledge', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: חֲכָמִ֥ים [wise] (118) + יִצְפְּנוּ־דָ֑עַת [store·knowledge] (710) + וּפִֽי־אֱ֝וִ֗יל [and·mouth·of·foolish] (143) + מְחִתָּ֥ה [ruin] (453) + קְרֹבָֽה [near] (307) = 1731.
Rashi
Wise men store up knowledge They guard it in their heart so that they do not forget it.
Ibn Ezra
"They store up" — in their heart, knowledge, so that they will not forget it, in the sense of "in my heart I have treasured" (Psalms 119:11). "But the mouth of the fool" — brings it about for him. "Ruin" — which was close at hand for him on account of his folly. And the sense is that others shall bring him to ruin.
Ralbag
"Wise men lay up" — in their heart that which they know, and they do not publicize it to all people, for perhaps some of the common people will be harmed by these matters, owing to their inability to grasp their intent; therefore they are careful not to state these good things in themselves, on account of the harm that might come from them incidentally. But the mouth of the fool is the opposite of this, for he speaks matters that bring imminent ruin upon people, and therefore all who hear his words are harmed, since they do not perceive the evil that is in them. "The wealth of the rich" is a means of escaping evils, like a fortified city in which a person takes refuge in times of war; therefore his heart trusts in his wealth and he strengthens himself by means of it. "The labor of the righteous" is always directed toward life, for through it he attains eternal life and bodily life. But the increase of the wicked, and the wealth that he extorts, leads to loss, to ruin, and to death, for through it comes ruin for his soul and for his body. This is very clear and requires no further explanation.
Metzudat David
"Lay up knowledge" — Even their knowledge they hide, so as not to reveal it except to those fit for it, thinking lest it become a snare for one who will not understand it correctly; but the mouth of the fool speaks a matter through which ruin is imminent and destined to come because of it, and he is not concerned.
Metzudat Zion
'Ruin' — an expression of breaking, as in 'you made his strongholds a ruin' (Psalms 84).
Malbim
"Wise men lay up knowledge" — this has already been explained in the comment on "to know wisdom" (1:2), that wisdom (chochmah) is received [by tradition], and it is impossible to know it through the proofs of understanding (binah) or to attain it through the senses; nevertheless, it is possible that a person will come to the level of da'at (clear knowledge), if he accepts the statutes in his heart as a clear truth, and keeps them, and reflects upon them with understanding — then they become established in him as clear knowledge. And the wise "lay up" (yitzpenu) that knowledge, hiding it from harmful people, lest they turn it to evil; this also includes the knowledge that the wise attain concerning matters of divinity, which must be hidden away and guarded, as has been said, that these secrets are not to be handed over to every person. And there is a difference between this and what is stated below (12:23), "a shrewd man conceals (koseh) knowledge" — for there is a difference between mechaseh (one who covers) and matzpin (one who stores away): the one who "stores away" (tzofen) does not cover the matter completely, but merely places it where not every person will see it, and even so it remains, in itself, uncovered — for to cover (kisui) knowledge is an act of cunning (armah), not an act of wisdom; whereas they [the wise] do not hide knowledge from people who are worthy of it, as it says, "the tongue of the wise makes knowledge good" (15:2), "the lips of the wise disperse knowledge" (ibid. v. 7). And included within the "storing away" (tzefinah) is also the safeguarding whereby they guard the knowledge from people who are unworthy of it. And [as for] "the mouth of the fool" — [understand the elided verb] "stores up" — "imminent ruin": the fool is one who has doubts about everything, and it is inconceivable that he should possess da'at, which is clear knowledge about anything, since he doubts everything; and he "stores up" and does not reveal even an imminent ruin that is about to come, because he has doubts about that too. That is to say: the wise do not reveal a good thing, so that no harm come of it, whereas fools keep concealed a manifest harm, so that it not be revealed.
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the ruin of the poor is their poverty.
verse value 2916
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 26 letters. Verse gematria: 2916 = 54². The shortest word is "wealth" (ה֣וֹן, 3 letters) and the longest is "rich" (עָ֭שִׁיר, 4 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "their·poverty" (רֵישָֽׁם). 7 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root עשיר ("rich") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root קריה ("city·of") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: ה֣וֹן [wealth] (61) + עָ֭שִׁיר [rich] (580) + קִרְיַ֣ת [city·of] (710) + עֻזּ֑וֹ [his·strength] (83) + מְחִתַּ֖ת [ruin·of] (848) + דַּלִּ֣ים [poor] (84) + רֵישָֽׁם [their·poverty] (550) = 2916.
Rashi
The wealth of the rich in Torah. is the city of his strength to him. the destruction of the poor is their poverty The poverty that they did not engage in the Torah is their destruction.
Ibn Ezra
"Wealth" — the money of the rich man is like a city of strength that shall save him momentarily from his distress, even though he is not wise. And the poor, who lack understanding — their poverty crushes them.
Metzudat David
"The rich man's wealth" — The wealth of the rich man is a refuge for him, like a fortified city — and the same is true of one who is rich in Torah. It then speaks of ruin: the breaking down of the poor — in terms of Torah, this is their poverty — for because of their lack of Torah they are broken quickly.
Metzudat Zion
'Qiryah' (city) — an expression of town and city. 'Their poverty' — an expression of poverty.
Malbim
"The rich man's wealth is his strong city" — hon (wealth) is an accumulation of money and of objects of great value, and kiryah is a fortified city. That is to say: the rich man has no need of a fortified city in which to take refuge from adversaries, for his wealth is itself the fortified stronghold in which he takes refuge from the vicissitudes of time — which are the adversaries that oppress a person — in it he takes refuge from hunger, cold, and every want. Accordingly, "the ruin of the poor is their poverty" — the dal (poor man) is one who once had wealth and then became impoverished of his possessions; so the dal whose wealth has diminished is like one whose enemies have conquered the city of his stronghold, and this is his ruin, for he has no shelter from the vicissitudes of time. And there is also a figurative meaning in this: the inner wealth of the soul is the wisdom that one has gathered in his heart, and it is the stronghold of his city against the inner enemies, the adversaries of the soul — namely, the desires and the evil inclination — but the poor, who lack the wealth of wisdom, are set upon by the fool (kesil), who conquers the city.
The wages of the righteous is life; The increase of the wicked is sin.
verse value 2709
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "wicked" (רָשָׁ֣ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·life" (לְחַיִּ֑ים, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "wages·of" (פְּעֻלַּ֣ת), "to·sin" (לְחַטָּֽאת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs); "to·life" (root חי, 32x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root פעל ("wages·of") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·life', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: פְּעֻלַּ֣ת [wages·of] (580) + צַדִּ֣יק [just] (204) + לְחַיִּ֑ים [to·life] (98) + תְּבוּאַ֖ת [increase·of] (809) + רָשָׁ֣ע [wicked] (570) + לְחַטָּֽאת [to·sin] (448) = 2709.
Rashi
The act of the righteous is for life [This is to be understood] according to its apparent meaning, but the Midrash Aggadah states: Solomon performed the construction of the Temple for the life of Israel, for their atonement. what the wicked bring in What Manasseh brought in, for he brought in the image—that was for sin.
Ibn Ezra
"The wages of the righteous" — his deeds, for the purpose that he attains the paths of life. "The increase of the wicked" — it is the fruit of his thoughts, in that he plans to commit sin.
Metzudat David
"The wages of" — The deed of the righteous is a cause of life; but the fruit of the deed of the wicked is a cause of shortening the days of his life.
Metzudat Zion
'Produce' — an expression of increase and fruits. 'To sin' — an expression of missing or deficiency, as in 'slinging stones... and would not miss' (Judges 20).
Malbim
"The wages of the righteous is life; the increase of the wicked is sin" There is a difference between pe'ulah (labor/action) and ma'aseh (deed/product): * The engagement whereby one occupies himself with something and prepares the means toward it is called pe'ulah, * but if he completes the thing, it is called ma'aseh. For example: the sower and the plower, and all their prior activities, are called pe'ulah in relation to the produce that is completed — for then the ma'aseh is finished. And in light of this it says: * that for the righteous man, even his pe'ulot (labors) lead to life — that is, even the means by which he engages in preparing the goal are for life, and all the more so the goal itself, which is the act of righteousness itself; * and for the wicked man, even "the produce of the wicked is for sin" — even the completed produce, which is the goal of his deed, is for sin and loss, and it is a false goal.
He is in the way of life who heeds instruction; But he who forsakes reproof errs.
verse value 2593
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "way" (אֹ֣רַח, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·life" (לְ֭חַיִּים, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "errs" (מַתְעֶֽה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·life" (root חי, 32x in Proverbs); "keeper·of" (root שמר, 31x in Proverbs); "instruction" (root מוסר, 30x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'instruction', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֹ֣רַח [way] (209) + לְ֭חַיִּים [to·life] (98) + שׁוֹמֵ֣ר [keeper·of] (546) + מוּסָ֑ר [instruction] (306) + וְעֹזֵ֖ב [and·forsaker·of] (85) + תּוֹכַ֣חַת [rebuke] (834) + מַתְעֶֽה [errs] (515) = 2593.
Rashi
The way to life He who keeps discipline—that is the way to life. but he who forsakes reproof misleads himself and others.
Ibn Ezra
"The way" — to attain life is through keeping instruction. "And he who forsakes reproof" — he leads others astray. Another explanation: "he who keeps instruction, yet forsakes reproof, leads astray" — meaning he will be reproved for going astray, and likewise from "the way of life" — and this is a very good explanation.
Ralbag
"[He is] in the way of life" [who heeds instruction] — one who keeps discipline in his character traits walks toward eternal life and bodily life, for good character traits and dispositions benefit a person in social and civic affairs, and on account of this he is beloved by people; and this also guides him toward acquiring the perfection of the intelligibles, as stated previously. But one who forsakes reproof errs in his own opinions and leads others astray from the way of life, for many will be drawn after him, since the inclination of a man's heart is evil from his youth. Now, the one who speaks lies is more disgraceful than the fool and more harmful than him, for "lying lips conceal hatred" — that is, lips of falsehood conceal the hatred, and this becomes a cause that the hated person will not be on guard against his enemy and will fall into his trap. But the fool utters the words and the slander from his mouth, and this becomes a cause that the hated person will be on guard against him. And since he mentioned these two — one who speaks and one who conceals, with the concealer being the more disgraceful — he now comes to explain that there is nevertheless a respect in which the concealer is more praiseworthy, and he says: "he who increases..." etc.
Metzudat David
"He who heeds instruction" — That is to say, the keeping of discipline is a path to life. "Errs" — He strays from the path of life.
Metzudat Zion
'Errs' — like to'eh (one who strays), or, in the causative sense, 'he leads his own soul astray.'
Malbim
"He is on the path of life who keeps discipline" — there is a difference between musar (discipline) and tochachah (reproof): musar comes about through the compulsion whereby the soul is bound over so that it not go outside its boundary, out of fear of punishment; whereas tochachah comes about through argument and rational proofs that show the person the benefit of the good way. And for the most part, through musar one is restrained from the way of evil out of fear of punishment, while through tochachah one walks in the good way because he grasps the benefit of the good way. Therefore it states a novel point: that one who keeps musar is not only thereby restrained from the way of death, but it also leads him onto the path of life — because by turning away from evil he begins to do good. And "he who forsakes reproof goes astray" — meaning not only will he fail to walk on the path of life, he will also stray onto the way of death; for the two ways run parallel to and opposite one another, and when one departs from the way of life, he strays onto the way that lies opposite it.
He who hides hatred is of lying lips; And he who utters a slander is a fool.
verse value 2157
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "slander" (דִ֝בָּ֗ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "lips·of·falsehood" (שִׂפְתֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·uttering" (וּמוֹצִ֥א), "slander" (דִ֝בָּ֗ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "fool" (root כסיל, 49x in Proverbs); "lips·of·falsehood" (root שפה, 46x in Proverbs); "he" (root הוא, 21x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lips·of·falsehood', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: מְכַסֶּ֣ה [hiding] (125) + שִׂ֭נְאָה [hatred] (356) + שִׂפְתֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר [lips·of·falsehood] (1390) + וּמוֹצִ֥א [and·uttering] (143) + דִ֝בָּ֗ה [slander] (11) + ה֣וּא [he] (12) + כְסִֽיל [fool] (120) = 2157.
Rashi
He who covers up hatred has false lips The flatterer has false lips, and he hides hatred in his heart. and he who spreads slander is a fool Heb. דבה, a rumor about his friend, about which people will converse (דובבין).
Ibn Ezra
"Hides it greatly" — the two words are connected: he conceals the hatred and hides it within himself, while his lips speak falsehood for the sake of reconciliation.
Metzudat David
"He who hides hatred" — One who conceals hatred in his heart and does not abandon it causes yet another transgression: speaking with lying lips, in order to make himself appear as a friend. "And he who utters a slander" — One who does not conceal his hatred, and shows his anger by spreading slander against his fellow, so that people talk about him — is he not considered a fool? For everyone will say: whoever disqualifies another disqualifies him with his own blemish.
Metzudat Zion
'Slander' — an expression of gossip and defamation, since many people talk and tell about it, as in 'their evil report' (Genesis 37).
Malbim
(18-19) "He who hides hatred," etc., and "in the multitude of words" — Rambam has already written, commenting on the saying, "All my days I have grown up among the sages, and I have found nothing better for the body than silence," that speech divides into four categories: forbidden speech, permitted (optional) speech, obligatory speech, and licit speech — and the intelligent man (maskil) speaks only one-quarter of [possible] speech. In light of this it says here: behold, on the evil side of speech — namely, that which brings out slander against one's fellow — several evils are bound up in it. For "he who hides hatred is of lying lips" — he is necessarily forced to hide his hatred toward his fellow and to lie by claiming that he loves him, and thereby he "utters a slander" — for by hiding his hatred, people come to believe his slander. Thus several evils are bound up in this, and he is a fool (kesil), for he acts in a manner opposite to wisdom on account of the evil of his heart. But even one who does not speak forbidden speech, nevertheless "in the multitude of words, transgression is not wanting" — for most categories of speech, even speech that is merely permitted (reshut), lead to transgression. Therefore, "he who restrains his lips is wise" — the wise man (maskil) restrains his lips entirely, so as to speak nothing but words of wisdom alone.
In the multitude of words there wants not transgression; But he who refrains his lips is wise.
verse value 2529
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "ceases·transgression" (יֶחְדַּל־פָּ֑שַׁע, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "ceases·transgression" (יֶחְדַּל־פָּ֑שַׁע), "and·withholder·of" (וְחוֹשֵׂ֖ךְ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 61x in Proverbs); "his·lips" (root שפה, 46x in Proverbs); "words" (root דבר, 45x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root חדל ("ceases·transgression") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root חשך ("and·withholder·of") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ceases·transgression', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּרֹ֣ב [in·multitude·of] (204) + דְּ֭בָרִים [words] (256) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יֶחְדַּל־פָּ֑שַׁע [ceases·transgression] (502) + וְחוֹשֵׂ֖ךְ [and·withholder·of] (340) + שְׂפָתָ֣יו [his·lips] (796) + מַשְׂכִּֽיל [wise] (400) = 2529.
Rashi
In a multitude of words, transgression will not be avoided He who talks too much brings on sin. and he who holds back his lips he is wise.
Ibn Ezra
"In the multitude of words" — he speaks profusely in order to extricate himself, out of hatred for slander. "Transgression does not cease" — there is much of it, meaning he is unable to retract what he has said and put a stop to it, so that it ends up testifying against him. "And he who restrains his lips" — from words of slander — is prudent, as opposed to the one who is a fool.
Ralbag
"In the multitude of words" — he says that one who speaks excessively in the presence of the great will not avoid having transgression and error attributed to him on account of the abundance of his words, for a person cannot properly manage a multitude of words with sound judgment. But one who restrains his lips from a multitude of words is prudent and successful in his acquisitions. And in particular, one who speaks concerning the Name, may He be blessed, ought to have few words, as we explained in the book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), for His rank is very much higher than his.
Metzudat David
"In the multitude" — In a multitude of words, transgression does not cease from among them, for it is impossible to be careful about all of them, since they are so many. "But he who refrains" — He who withholds the words of his lips altogether is wise.
Metzudat Zion
'And he refrains' — an expression of withholding, as in 'and you did not withhold' (Genesis 22).
The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver; The heart of the wicked is little worth.
verse value 1801
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "heart·of" (לֵ֖ב, 2 letters) and the longest is "wicked" (רְשָׁעִ֣ים, 5 letters). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs); "heart·of" (root לב, 57x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'just', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כֶּ֣סֶף [silver] (160) + נִ֭בְחָר [choice] (260) + לְשׁ֣וֹן [tongue·of] (386) + צַדִּ֑יק [just] (204) + לֵ֖ב [heart·of] (32) + רְשָׁעִ֣ים [wicked] (620) + כִּמְעָֽט [like·little] (139) = 1801.
Rashi
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver for he knows how to reprove. the heart of the wicked is worth little for he does not heed the reproof of the righteous man. Midrash Rabbi Tanhuma (Ki Thissa 6) states: This was stated concerning Iddo the prophet, who called [in prophecy] about the altar in Beth-El, and Jeroboam, although his hand had become stiff, did not heed the reproof, as it is said (I Kings 13:6): “Entreat now the Lord your God, etc.”; but not “my God, etc”; (ad loc.): “and the king’s hand was drawn back to him, and it was as before.” Just as before, he was standing and burning sacrifices to idols, so was it at the end.
Ibn Ezra
"Silver" — like silver, for he speaks choice words that are considered like refined, choice silver. "Little" — meaning little can be learned from them. Another explanation: "heart" means understanding; thus the meaning is that their understanding amounts to little — this is the preferred reading, the opposite in structure of "the tongue of the righteous."
Ralbag
"Choice silver" — behold, the tongue of the righteous is like silver that has no dross, and therefore it is strong in endurance and resistant to loss. But the soul of the wicked and their heart — [Scripture] ascribes to it only little worth; and it did not mention the tongue of the wicked, for they do not utter their thoughts with their mouth, as was stated previously.
Metzudat David
"The tongue of the righteous" — He who rebukes people is like choice silver; but the heart of the wicked is small, of the very smallest measure; that is to say, they have a heart to understand only the very least amount.
Malbim
"Choice silver is the tongue of the righteous" — It has always been explained by us that 'the tongue' (lashon) indicates inner speech, and refers to matters that have been weighed, which one has contemplated through the ways of understanding (binah). By contrast, 'the lip' (safah) indicates external speech, from the lip outward. The grammarians have already explained that the tongue is associated with understanding (binah), the mouth with wisdom (chochmah), and the lip with knowledge (da'at); and this fits with what we have said, that the tongue indicates matters of understanding, while the lip, being entirely external, indicates that one speaks things he is accustomed to, from the lip outward — and this is found only in matters of knowledge, which one knows with clear certainty, like things perceived by the senses, so that he speaks of them with his lips without any deliberation at all. The mouth is intermediate between the tongue and the lip, and indicates matters of wisdom received from one's teachers, which are not as clearly understood as matters of discernment (tevunah), nor are they as habitual on the outer lips as matters of knowledge. Now, 'the tongue of the righteous' is what the righteous man works out through his own understanding regarding matters of righteousness; it is like choice silver that has no dross in it at all — for all the understanding of the discerning has some dross in it, since one must necessarily weigh all the conflicting sides until he finds what is proper, and the remainder is the dross. But the righteous man, who is accustomed to doing righteousness and works it out through the practical intellect that he is used to putting into actual practice, immediately understands, from experience, how to act in any particular matter that comes before him, without any doubt at all, and at once hits the proper mark — like pure silver without dross. But — "the heart of the wicked is little [worth]" — the wicked, who are far from righteousness, their heart, the ruling faculty within them, does not remain constantly fixed on one matter, for it is always shifting to another trait toward evil, so that their heart is 'like little,' as if it has no heart and no settled rule at all; and all the more so, it is impossible for it to grasp the way of good absolutely, since it has no single fixed way at all.
The lips of the righteous feed many; But the foolish die for want of understanding.
verse value 2399
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "lips·of" (שִׂפְתֵ֣י, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·foolish" (וֶ֝אֱוִילִ֗ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·foolish" (וֶ֝אֱוִילִ֗ים), "for·want·of·heart" (בַּחֲסַר־לֵ֥ב), "die" (יָמֽוּתוּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs); "lips·of" (root שפה, 46x in Proverbs); "many" (root רב, 26x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'many', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: שִׂפְתֵ֣י [lips·of] (790) + צַ֭דִּיק [just] (204) + יִרְע֣וּ [feed] (286) + רַבִּ֑ים [many] (252) + וֶ֝אֱוִילִ֗ים [and·foolish] (103) + בַּחֲסַר־לֵ֥ב [for·want·of·heart] (302) + יָמֽוּתוּ [die] (462) = 2399.
Rashi
The lips of the righteous will feed many, etc. Many eat in his merit and because of his prayer.
Ibn Ezra
"Shall feed" — from the term for pasture, meaning that they teach the majority of people. "And he who lacks understanding" — is contrasted with "the righteous." "And fools" — contrasted with "many," meaning that the fools perish on account of a man who lacks understanding and leads them astray. "Shall die" — before their time, before reaching a ripe old age.
Ralbag
"The lips of the righteous" — behold, the lips of the righteous do not merely give life to the righteous man himself, but they guide many and sustain them, just as a shepherd tends his flock. But as for fools, it is not enough that they fail to benefit others — they even bring death upon themselves, on account of their lack of understanding.
Metzudat David
"Feed many" — Many eat from the fruit of his lips, for he teaches them the way in which they should walk, for their own good. "But the foolish" — But the foolish, who did not listen to him, will die because of their lack of understanding, for they did not examine his words.
Metzudat Zion
'Feed' — from the language of mir'eh (pasture); meaning: they feed [others].
Malbim
"The lips of the righteous feed many" — I have already explained that 'the lips' indicate external speech. Now, 'the tongue of the righteous' is that with which he works out for himself the way he should choose, as above in the previous verse; and 'the mouth of the righteous' in matters of wisdom is 'a fountain of life,' as above in verse 11. 'The lips of the righteous' indicates what he expresses with his lips of things he is accustomed to — these 'feed many,' teaching them his ways and paths. But — "the fools die for want of heart" — the definition of a fool ('evil) is one who is unsure and uncertain about the ways of wisdom, which is the opposite of the 'knowledge' alluded to in 'the lips of the righteous,' for the lips indicate a matter known with certainty, as above. For not only does he lack clear knowledge sufficient to express the ways of wisdom with his outer lips and teach them to many, he does not even feed himself, but rather dies for want of heart — for he has no heart to rule and guide his desires according to the ways of wisdom and its laws, since he remains uncertain about them.
The blessing of Hashem, it makes rich, And toil adds nothing to it.
verse value 2114
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "it" (הִ֣יא, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·not·adds" (וְלֹֽא־יוֹסִ֖ף, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "the·blessing·of" (בִּרְכַּ֣ת), "and·not·adds" (וְלֹֽא־יוֹסִ֖ף), "pain" (עֶ֣צֶב). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root עם ("with·it") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'makes·rich', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: בִּרְכַּ֣ת [the·blessing·of] (622) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + הִ֣יא [it] (16) + תַעֲשִׁ֑יר [makes·rich] (980) + וְלֹֽא־יוֹסִ֖ף [and·not·adds] (193) + עֶ֣צֶב [pain] (162) + עִמָּֽהּ [with·it] (115) = 2114.
Rashi
The blessing of the Lord will bring riches, etc. One need not toil to gain wealth, for it is enough with the blessing that He blesses him.
Ibn Ezra
"The blessing of Hashem" — which He gives to the righteous — it is this that makes him rich. "Adds no sorrow" — Hashem does not add sorrow to the righteous along with the blessing; the opposite of this is "in toil shall you eat of it" (Genesis 3:17) — for a blessing serves to add good, while a curse means deficiency.
Ralbag
"The blessing of Hashem, it makes rich" — [namely] the people who are under the providence of Hashem, may He be blessed; and such a rich man need not be weary and toilsome with it, unlike the case of other rich men, who toil, and whose wealth does not let them rest. This is because Hashem, may He be blessed, sets all his affairs in order, on account of the attachment of His providence to him. Or he may mean by this that the blessing of Hashem enriches the human intellect with the acquisitions of wisdom, and this wealth is of such a kind that no sorrow is added to it, for it is eternal and enduring.
Metzudat David
"The blessing of Hashem" — The blessing that Hashem gives makes a person rich, and with that blessing he will not need to add further sorrow and toil to increase his wealth, for the blessing that comes will be sufficient for him.
Malbim
"The blessing of Hashem, it makes rich" — Wealth that comes through one's own effort is not true wealth, and its owner 'eats the bread of sorrows' — meaning, at the time he eats bread he becomes troubled, for he remembers his toil and labor in acquiring it, and worries lest it run short; therefore he restricts his food, as if by this he adds to his wealth. This is because it is not true wealth, and he is poor in his own estimation. But 'the blessing of Hashem, it makes rich' — true wealth — "and toil adds nothing to it" — meaning, he need not trouble himself to add to his wealth through hardship, for he eats with joy and ease, since the blessing is present in all that he has.
It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness, And so is wisdom to a man of discernment.
verse value 2295
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "wickedness" (זִמָּ֑ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "like·laughter" (כִּשְׂח֣וֹק, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "like·laughter" (כִּשְׂח֣וֹק), "wickedness" (זִמָּ֑ה), "and·wisdom" (וְ֝חׇכְמָ֗ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·a·man" (root איש, 80x in Proverbs); "to·a·fool" (root כסיל, 49x in Proverbs); "to·do" (root עשה, 34x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root זמה ("wickedness") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wickedness', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּשְׂח֣וֹק [like·laughter] (434) + לִ֭כְסִיל [to·a·fool] (150) + עֲשׂ֣וֹת [to·do] (776) + זִמָּ֑ה [wickedness] (52) + וְ֝חׇכְמָ֗ה [and·wisdom] (79) + לְאִ֣ישׁ [to·a·man] (341) + תְּבוּנָֽה [discernment] (463) = 2295.
Rashi
As it is sport for a fool to carry out a sinful plot Heb. זמה, a plot of sins. [so is] wisdom like sport to a man of understanding; i.e., in his eyes, it is easy to do.
Ibn Ezra
"As sport," "wickedness" — this refers to scheming evil. The meaning of "as sport" is that it is easy for a fool to do so; the act of wickedness is light in his eyes. "And wisdom to a man" of discernment — because he understands that it will guard him from doing wickedness, therefore he desires it. Another explanation: just as wisdom is a delight to a man of discernment, so the fool delights in doing wickedness.
Ralbag
"As sport to a fool" [to do wickedness] — behold, the fool does not conduct his affairs, nor what he wishes to accomplish, with wisdom; therefore the attainment of his desire comes to him as something that happens by chance, or through an act of sport, matters that are not directed toward those purposes. But for a man of discernment, thought is brought into deed in accordance with their wishes, for through wisdom they strive to bring their thought into action, by fitting means.
Metzudat David
"As sport" — Just as sport/laughter is an easy thing, so it is easy for a fool to commit lewdness; and just so it is easy for a man of discernment to do a wise thing.
Metzudat Zion
'Wickedness' — an expression of doing evil.
Malbim
"It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness" — The fool (kesil) is one who has turned away from the ways of wisdom because of the impulse of his heart and his desires. He explains that according to how the rule of one's heart governs — whether toward the ways of wisdom or toward folly — so does one's nature come to be, until his deeds are no longer attributed to his choice, but rather to habit and a second nature that has become ingrained in him. The fool does wickedness not through deliberate thought, but without knowledge or forethought — just as he laughs (should something occasion laughter happen to come before him) involuntarily, not through thought and choice; and likewise, "so is wisdom to a man of discernment" — one who has gathered all matters of understanding (binah) into his soul (this being the definition of discernment [tevunah], and its distinction from understanding [binah]) — for then wisdom is with him 'from the lip outward,' as mentioned above regarding (Proverbs 10:13): 'In the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found.' Consequently, wisdom, and conducting oneself according to its ways, will likewise come by way of habit, of itself — like laughter, which comes of itself, by nature.
The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; And the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
verse value 3227
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "wicked" (רָ֭שָׁע, 3 letters) and the longest is "comes·upon·him" (תְבוֹאֶ֑נּוּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "fear·of" (מְגוֹרַ֣ת), "and·desire·of" (וְתַאֲוַ֖ת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs); "comes·upon·him" (root בוא, 35x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root תאוה ("and·desire·of") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'comes·upon·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: מְגוֹרַ֣ת [fear·of] (649) + רָ֭שָׁע [wicked] (570) + הִ֣יא [it] (16) + תְבוֹאֶ֑נּוּ [comes·upon·him] (465) + וְתַאֲוַ֖ת [and·desire·of] (813) + צַדִּיקִ֣ים [just] (254) + יִתֵּֽן [gives] (460) = 3227.
Rashi
The dread of a wicked man that will befall him What he fears will befall him. The generation of the Dispersion said, “Lest we scatter” (Gen. 11:4), and their end was that it is written (ibid. 8), “And the Lord scattered them from there.” but the desire of the righteous He will grant He Who has the power to grant it.
Ibn Ezra
"And the desire of the righteous" — is to destroy the wicked. "Shall grant" — the subject is Hashem, and the proof is the verse that follows this one.
Ralbag
"The fear of the wicked" — that which the wicked man fears will come upon him of evils, it shall indeed come upon him, for Hashem will not save him from it; and this fear and dread is an indication of the weakness of the [divine] influence upon him from Hashem, as we explained in our commentary on the book of Job, and in the fourth treatise of the book Milchamot Hashem (Wars of Hashem). But the righteous — it is not enough that they are protected from those evils, but Hashem also gives them, of the good things, whatever they desire.
Metzudat David
"The fear" — The very thing that the wicked man fears will come upon him; and the good thing that the righteous man desires, the One who has the power to give it — namely, the Holy One, blessed be He — will give it to him.
Metzudat Zion
'The dread' — an expression of fear, as in 'and Moab was in dread' (Numbers 22).
Malbim
"The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him" — 'Dread' (magor) is the thing a person fears, from which he hides himself and devises stratagems to escape; and this is its distinction from the other terms denoting fear. The wicked man — even regarding the thing he dreads, from which he devises every stratagem to escape — nevertheless it will come upon him, for his stratagems will not avail. "And the desire of the righteous shall be granted" — even the thing that they desire in their heart, Hashem grants, without their needing to do anything at all to attain it. Thus the wicked man is overtaken by the very evil he strove to escape, while the righteous man is not only not overtaken by evil, but is granted the good that he did not strive for at all, for Hashem grants it to him through providence, as stated further on (11:23, 13:21).
When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more; But the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
verse value 1522
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "wicked" (רָשָׁ֑ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "when·passing" (כַּעֲב֣וֹר, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "when·passing" (כַּעֲב֣וֹר), "whirlwind" (ס֭וּפָה), "foundation·of" (יְס֣וֹד). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "and·just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs); "and·is·not" (root אין, 36x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wicked', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כַּעֲב֣וֹר [when·passing] (298) + ס֭וּפָה [whirlwind] (151) + וְאֵ֣ין [and·is·not] (67) + רָשָׁ֑ע [wicked] (570) + וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק [and·just] (210) + יְס֣וֹד [foundation·of] (80) + עוֹלָֽם [eternity] (146) = 1522.
Rashi
When the whirlwind passes, the wicked man is no more Suddenly the fury of a whirlwind comes, and the wicked man is cut off from his place.
Ibn Ezra
"As the whirlwind passes" — quickly; so too the wicked passes away suddenly and is no more, while the righteous is strong against troubles, like an everlasting foundation that shall not be moved.
Ralbag
"As the whirlwind passes" [the wicked is no more] — behold, when a whirlwind passes, it passes over the wicked man in order to destroy him, as though he were the very reason the whirlwind passes, for the purpose of destroying him. But the righteous is the opposite, for he is the foundation of the world, and the cause of its endurance and its protection from mishaps, as it is said, "He shall deliver even one who is not innocent."
Metzudat David
"When the whirlwind passes" — Immediately when the storm passes — that is to say, when calamity comes, the wicked is cut off and is no more; but the righteous is like the foundation of the world, which does not move from its place.
Metzudat Zion
'Whirlwind' — a storm wind.
Malbim
"When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more" — The wicked man has no strong root in existence, but only a contingent, incidental existence, like a thing not firmly rooted, which the wind carries away when a storm and tempest pass. So too, while the years proceed in their normal order, he endures according to nature, but in a time of upheaval, the whirlwind carries him off and sweeps him from his place. But "the righteous is an everlasting foundation" — he has enduring existence, both from the perfection of his soul and from Hashem's providence, and in a time of whirlwind, not only does the wind and the incidents of time not shake him, but he is like a firmly laid foundation, not only for himself, but for the world at large — as was the case with Noah. As it is stated in Bereishit Rabbah (parashat Noach): '"When the whirlwind passes" — this is the generation of the Flood; "and the righteous is an everlasting foundation" — this is Noah.' And likewise expounded there is what is stated further on (12:7 and 14:1).
As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, So is the sluggard to those who send him.
verse value 1893
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֥ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·the·eyes" (לָעֵינָ֑יִם, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "as·the·vinegar" (כַּחֹ֤מֶץ), "to·the·teeth" (לַשִּׁנַּ֗יִם), "and·as·the·smoke" (וְכֶעָשָׁ֥ן). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·eyes" (root עין, 43x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root שן ("to·the·teeth") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·eyes', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כַּחֹ֤מֶץ [as·the·vinegar] (158) + לַשִּׁנַּ֗יִם [to·the·teeth] (430) + וְכֶעָשָׁ֥ן [and·as·the·smoke] (446) + לָעֵינָ֑יִם [to·the·eyes] (210) + כֵּ֥ן [so] (70) + הֶ֝עָצֵ֗ל [the·sluggard] (195) + לְשֹׁלְחָֽיו [to·his·senders] (384) = 1893.
Ibn Ezra
"As vinegar" — whose nature is cold and ruins the teeth, or "as smoke" whose nature is hot and ruins the eyes — so does the sluggard ruin the affairs of those who send him to do their work; and a person ought to separate himself from his company.
Ralbag
"As vinegar to the teeth," etc. — behold, just as vinegar pains the teeth greatly, and as smoke is harmful to the eyes, so is the sluggard: he pains the heart of those who send him, because their expectation is drawn out at length.
Metzudat David
"As vinegar" — Just as vinegar is harmful to the teeth, etc., so the sluggard is harmful to the one who sends him, for he relies on him, and he is lazy about the matter.
Malbim
"As vinegar to the teeth" — this disparages the sluggard, who in his errand is like a sour thing that one wants to eat in order to arouse the appetite for food, but which instead, to the contrary, dulls the teeth: even though it arouses the desire to eat, one will not be able to chew the food. Likewise, "as smoke to the eyes" — if sparks are kindled to light a house, even though light is found, it darkens the eyes, and one cannot see. So is the sluggard to those who send him: not only do they fail to attain the desired result from his errand, but he also ruins the purpose entirely. And all that is said about the sluggard may also be taken as a metaphor for one who is negligent in the general mission for which he was sent to this world — the perfection of his soul.
The fear of Hashem prolongs days; But the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
verse value 3520
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 33 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "the·fear·of" (יִרְאַ֣ת, 4 letters) and the longest is "shall·be·shortened" (תִּקְצֹֽרְנָה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "adds" (תּוֹסִ֣יף), "shall·be·shortened" (תִּקְצֹֽרְנָה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "days" (root יום, 32x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root קצר ("shall·be·shortened") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'days', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִרְאַ֣ת [the·fear·of] (611) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + תּוֹסִ֣יף [adds] (556) + יָמִ֑ים [days] (100) + וּשְׁנ֖וֹת [and·years·of] (762) + רְשָׁעִ֣ים [wicked] (620) + תִּקְצֹֽרְנָה [shall·be·shortened] (845) = 3520.
Ibn Ezra
"Adds days" — for a person's days are not fixed; rather, they follow nature, and nature grows strong and endures according to one's proper deeds. The proof is: "that your days may be long" (Exodus 20:12). And as for what is said, "I will fill the number of your days" (Exodus 23:26) — this refers to the days he could live according to his nature, for they are set in number. "Shall be shortened" — from the time he could otherwise have lived, for Hashem will weaken his strength, or bring death upon them through mishap and mischance, because they do not fear Him.
Ralbag
"The fear of Hashem prolongs" — for a person, days beyond his allotted days, for by virtue of the attachment of Hashem's providence to him, he is saved from the evils arranged against him, which are causes of his death before the time of his natural decay. But as for the aforementioned [wicked], their years shall be short, and they shall not reach the time allotted to them, for the wickedness of their choices will cause them to die before their time.
Metzudat David
"Prolongs days" — For whoever holds fast to it. "But the years" — Even the years allotted to him will be cut short, for they diminish for him.
Malbim
"The fear of Hashem prolongs days" — even though fear of a thing tends to shorten one's days, it is not so with the fear of Hashem, which prolongs a person's days. "But the years of the wicked shall be shortened" — through Hashem's punishments. In the first clause it uses "days," which also includes their being days of goodness and tranquility, whereas "years" mostly indicates years of suffering — that the wicked will not spend their days in goodness, and their years, too, will be shortened.
The hope of the righteous is gladness; But the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
verse value 3390
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "joy" (שִׂמְחָ֑ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "just" (צַדִּיקִ֣ים, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·hope·of" (וְתִקְוַ֖ת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root תוחלת ("hope·of") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root שמחה ("joy") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'joy', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: תּוֹחֶ֣לֶת [hope·of] (844) + צַדִּיקִ֣ים [just] (254) + שִׂמְחָ֑ה [joy] (353) + וְתִקְוַ֖ת [and·hope·of] (912) + רְשָׁעִ֣ים [wicked] (620) + תֹּאבֵֽד [perish] (407) = 3390.
Rashi
The expectation of the righteous [will result in] joy Eventually, it will be realized, and they will rejoice. but the hope of the wicked shall be lost for it will not come.
Ibn Ezra
"The hope of the righteous" — for they hope to see the death of the wicked; in the end their hope brings them to joy at the wicked's death. "And the expectation of the wicked" — to destroy the righteous — that desire shall perish, and this is made explicit in the following verse.
Ralbag
"The hope of the righteous" — this is the eternal and pleasant life, which is the ultimate joy, to which the bodily pleasures bear no relation whatsoever, as we explained in Book One of Milchamot Hashem (Wars of Hashem). The hope of the wicked, however, is the acquisition of bodily desires — among possessions and bodily pleasures — and all of this passes away and is lost.
Metzudat David
"Hope" — The hope of the righteous is a joy to them, because it comes, and they rejoice over what they had hoped for; but the hope of the wicked shall be lost and shall not come to pass, and he is distressed over the hope [that failed].
Malbim
"The hope (tochelet) of the righteous is gladness" — there is a difference between tochelet ("hope") and tikvah ("expectation"). One who has tochelet awaits something that will certainly come, or that he has been promised will come at a known time; one who has tikvah hopes for something that is not clear or assured. The righteous have tochelet, for their reward is assured without doubt, and therefore they are glad — the opposite of "a hope deferred, which makes the heart sick," for the tochelet that they anticipate from Hashem's kindness is always to be found and does not fail. "But the expectation (tikvah) of the wicked shall perish" — the wicked have no tochelet, only tikvah, for they hope to become rich and the like, which is not assured, and indeed their hope will perish.
The way of Hashem is a stronghold to the upright, But ruin to the workers of iniquity.
verse value 1579
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·the·integrity" (לַ֭תֹּם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·destruction" (וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "stronghold" (מָע֣וֹז), "to·the·integrity" (לַ֭תֹּם). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "the·way·of" (root דרך, 74x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: מָע֣וֹז [stronghold] (123) + לַ֭תֹּם [to·the·integrity] (470) + דֶּ֣רֶךְ [the·way·of] (224) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה [and·destruction] (459) + לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי [to·workers·of] (220) + אָֽוֶן [iniquity] (57) = 1579.
Rashi
The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the innocent, but ruin for those who work iniquity For they do not follow it, and it exacts retribution from them.
Ibn Ezra
"A stronghold to the blameless" — the word "tom" (blameless) is an adjectival form, on the same pattern as "chom" (heat); or, alternatively, the lamed prefix functions like "ba'avur" ("for the sake of"), and "tom" is itself a plain noun. "The way of Hashem" — His commandments. "And ruin" — it is the same way that destroys them because they forsake it, as it is said: "the just walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them" (Hosea 14:10).
Ralbag
"A stronghold to the blameless" — For those who make their paths straight toward blamelessness, the way of Hashem, through the commandments of the Torah, will be for them a stronghold and strength to keep to their path, which they intend to walk, for through this what they intend regarding blamelessness will be fulfilled for them completely. But for the workers of iniquity the way of Hashem will be a ruin, for it is opposed, as much as possible, to what they intend — falsehood, injustice, and violence.
Metzudat David
"A stronghold" — The way of Hashem is a source of strength to the innocent man, because he walks in it; but it is a terror and a ruin to the workers of iniquity, because they did not walk in it. That is to say, this teaches merit for the innocent man and guilt for the wicked.
Malbim
"The way of Hashem is a stronghold to the upright" — "ruin" (mechitah) is the opposite of "stronghold" (ma'oz): oz is strength of soul and firmness of spirit, and its opposite, mechitah, is a breaking of the soul. The way of Hashem and His conduct of the world is a stronghold to the blameless (tam), for in the ways of Hashem one sees how He supports the fallen and watches over the oppressed, and all His paths are kindness, truth, righteousness, mercy, and grace — so that the blameless person, who conducts himself by these traits, finds a stronghold when he considers that Hashem conducts Himself likewise in governing existence. "But ruin to the workers of iniquity" — since their ways of doing iniquity are the opposite of the ways of God and of the sustaining of the world.
The righteous shall never be moved; But the wicked shall not inhabit the land.
verse value 1811
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "dwell·land" (יִשְׁכְּנוּ־אָֽרֶץ, 8 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs); "not" (root לא, 61x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root מוט ("not·be·moved") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'not·be·moved', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: צַ֭דִּיק [just] (204) + לְעוֹלָ֣ם [for·eternity] (176) + בַּל־יִמּ֑וֹט [not·be·moved] (97) + וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים [and·wicked] (626) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִשְׁכְּנוּ־אָֽרֶץ [dwell·land] (677) = 1811.
Rashi
The righteous will not collapse forever When he collapses, his collapse is not a permanent collapse, but he will fall and rise.
Ibn Ezra
"The righteous" — shall never be moved when troubles come, or after his death his offspring shall remain, as it is said: "and the righteous shall inhabit the land" (Psalm 37:29). "But the wicked" — their memory and their offspring shall perish.
Ralbag
"The righteous shall never be moved" — Because of the intensity of Hashem's providence over the righteous person, he shall never be moved — that is, all his days — and his ankles shall not slip; rather, he shall remain established in the place he occupies on the earth, and shall not be exiled from there to another place. The wicked, however, shall not dwell in the land except for a short time, for on account of the evil of their deeds they will have many enemies. Or, alternatively, he means by "shall never be moved" that within the time allotted for him to live he shall not die, in the sense of what is said, "I will fulfill the number of your days" (Exodus 23:26). The wicked, however, shall not dwell in the land for the time allotted to them, for their years shall be shortened.
Metzudat David
"Never" — Even if he stumbles, he will not stumble forever, for he will return and rise up again. "Shall not inhabit it" — for a long time; even if their hour is successful, it is only for a time.
Metzudat Zion
'Shall be moved' — an expression of tilting. 'Shall inhabit' — its meaning is dwelling in tranquility.
Malbim
"The righteous shall never be moved" — toppling comes about through a cause, that is, through weakness of the legs or a sloping place. The righteous person, even when he totters because he was not standing on firm footing, will nevertheless never be moved forever, for "a righteous man falls seven times and rises" (Proverbs 24:16). "But the wicked shall not inhabit the land" — even at a time when they dwell on the land — not on a slope, but in a fixed dwelling upon the land — nevertheless, for all that, they will not remain dwelling there, for the wicked will be shaken loose from it.
The mouth of the righteous buds with wisdom; But the froward tongue shall be cut off.
verse value 2758
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "buds" (יָנ֣וּב, 4 letters) and the longest is "mouth·of·just" (פִּֽי־צַ֭דִּיק, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "mouth·of·just" (פִּֽי־צַ֭דִּיק), "buds" (יָנ֣וּב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wisdom" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "mouth·of·just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wisdom', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: פִּֽי־צַ֭דִּיק [mouth·of·just] (294) + יָנ֣וּב [buds] (68) + חׇכְמָ֑ה [wisdom] (73) + וּלְשׁ֥וֹן [and·tongue·of] (392) + תַּ֝הְפֻּכ֗וֹת [perversity] (911) + תִּכָּרֵֽת [shall·be·cut·off] (1020) = 2758.
Rashi
The mouth of the righteous man speaks wisdom Heb. ינוב, speaks, an expression of (Isa. 57: 9): “the speech (ניב) of the lips.”
Ibn Ezra
"Shall flourish" — from the term "tenuvah" (produce), meaning it yields the produce of wisdom and the fruit of the lips, as in "he shall be satisfied with the fruit of his lips" (Proverbs 18:20); and similarly, "though he be fruitful among his brothers" (Hosea 13:15) means "gives forth fruit"; and so too, the tongue that speaks perverse things — their lips shall be cut off.
Ralbag
"The mouth of the righteous" — The mouth of the righteous man, in his opinions, speaks wisdom, which is a permanent and eternal thing, and speech is not cut off from it, for truth testifies of itself, being consistent from every side. But the tongue of the perverse man — who errs and speaks falsehood in his premises — his tongue shall be cut off, if what follows from his premises does not agree with his own statements.
Metzudat David
"Buds, etc." — That is to say, in the words of his mouth wisdom and discipline are contained; and it hints at saying "the mouth of perversities shall be cut off" — that is, one who perverts the wisdom of the Torah shall be cut off.
Metzudat Zion
'Buds' — an expression of speech, as in 'who creates the fruit of the lips' (Isaiah 57:19).
Malbim
"The mouth of the righteous buds with wisdom" — it has already been explained (verse 11) regarding what is written, "the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life," that the righteous person did not gather the rules of wisdom through received tradition the way the wise man (chacham) does; rather, he became accustomed to walking in them through his righteousness. And through this he is able to teach, for every particular matter, how the proper conduct in wisdom should be, even though he has no formal doctrine or general system for it as the wise man has. Accordingly, the source of wisdom is in his mouth, for there it produces fruit and yield: whenever a person asks him about some particular matter, how he should conduct himself, wisdom sprouts and produces, in his mouth, the correct answer according to wisdom. He also has an advantage over the wise man in this, that "the froward tongue shall be cut off" — for the tongue signifies the ways of understanding (binah); so if one comes with a froward tongue, that is, if he brings clever proofs by way of inquiry that are the opposite of the ways of wisdom, then the wise man will be unable to stand against him, because the wise man is not a person of understanding (navon) — his wisdom is only received by tradition, and he does not know how to establish it with evidence and proofs against the investigator who denies its validity. But the righteous person will set against him the proofs of experience and examination, for he has already tested every particular matter until he attained from it clear knowledge, like proofs from the senses. And through this the froward tongue is cut off, and the resources of its understanding will not stand before him.
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable; But the mouth of the wicked is all frowardness.
verse value 3107
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Verse gematria: 3107 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "and·mouth·of" (וּפִ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "perversity" (תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "know" (יֵדְע֣וּן). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "just" (root צדיק, 66x in Proverbs); "lips·of" (root שפה, 46x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'pleasure', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: שִׂפְתֵ֣י [lips·of] (790) + צַ֭דִּיק [just] (204) + יֵדְע֣וּן [know] (140) + רָצ֑וֹן [pleasure] (346) + וּפִ֥י [and·mouth·of] (96) + רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים [wicked] (620) + תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת [perversity] (911) = 3107.
Rashi
the lips of a righteous man know how to please They know how to please and placate his Creator, and they know how to please the people and how to make peace among them.
Ibn Ezra
"Know" — to speak what is acceptable. "But the mouth of the wicked" — knows only to speak perverse things.
Ralbag
"The lips of the righteous know" — how to attain favor from people, for their words are pleasant and agreeable to them. But the mouth of the wicked is the opposite: it does not attain favor, but rather perversity and anger, for his words are harsh and evil. Or, alternatively, he means by this that the lips of the righteous, in their opinions, know how to attain what was intended in natural existing things, which one investigates by examining their causes — why they are the way they are. But the mouth of the wicked, whose opinions err in their premises, do not know the true intent of matters, but speak perversity and falsehoods.
Metzudat David
"Know what is acceptable" — They know how to find favor with Hashem. "Frowardness" — This refers back to "know," meaning: they know perversities, to pervert the word of Hashem, for all their occupation is in this, and they are accustomed to the matter.
Malbim
"The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable" — I have already explained, in verse 21, regarding "the lips of the righteous feed many," that the righteous person has attained, in the particulars of the ways of wisdom, a comprehensive knowledge, so that he knows them with clear knowledge; and this is the definition of "lip" (safah) — that it brings these particulars out from the lip and outward, as something clear and definite. Now, ratzon ("will"/"acceptance") refers to a thing that is desired by Hashem, and it is also used of the appeasement of anger. That is to say: the righteous person knows how to state what is the will of Hashem and of man — whatever brings glory to the one who does it and glory to him from other people — and this he knows with clear knowledge, which is why it says "yeda'un" ("they know"), and it says "lips" (in the plural). "But the mouth of the wicked is all frowardness" — their mouth, with which they speak conduct opposite to wisdom (for wisdom is alluded to by the word "peh," mouth), is "frowardness" (tahpuchot), as if they had received statutes that are the reverse of the ways of wisdom.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Ralbag
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim