Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips. House and riches are the inheritance of fathers, but a prudent wife is from Hashem; chasten your son while there is hope.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in his lips and a fool at the same time.
verse value 2470
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "and·he" (וְה֣וּא) = 18, chai, 'life'. Verse gematria: 2470 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "walking" (הוֹלֵ֣ךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "good·poor" (טֽוֹב־רָ֭שׁ, 5 letters). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "good·poor" (root טוב, 52x in Proverbs); "fool" (root כסיל, 49x in Proverbs); "his·lips" (root שפה, 46x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·his·integrity', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: טֽוֹב־רָ֭שׁ [good·poor] (517) + הוֹלֵ֣ךְ [walking] (61) + בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ [in·his·integrity] (448) + מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ [than·twisted·of] (510) + שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו [his·lips] (796) + וְה֣וּא [and·he] (18) + כְסִֽיל [fool] (120) = 2470.
Ibn Ezra
"Good," "also," "folly" (19:1-3) — three verses joined together. That is to say: "he walks in his integrity." "Perverse" [ikkesh] — he is so called on account of his crooked lips.
Ralbag
"Better is the poor who walks in his integrity" — Better is the poor man who walks in integrity and uprightness than one who places his confidence in his wealth, and is therefore perverse in his ways, for he trusts in his wealth to cover over his faults. And it is as if he explained here another aspect by which wealth is the cause of harm for some of the rich. Or he may mean by this that the poor man who walks in his integrity is better, in matters of the intellect, than the rich man who is perverse in his ways in matters of understanding, or is a fool — and he alludes here to two kinds of folly, one of which is the acquisition of corrupt opinions, and the second is the lack [of any opinion at all]. And he explained here that poverty together with wisdom is better than wealth together with folly, as was explained in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Metzudat David
"Who walks in his integrity" — One who does not deceive with his mouth in order to amass wealth, and so remains in his poverty. "Than he who is perverse" — Than one who is perverse with his lips in order to deceive people, for he indeed is counted a fool, since he will not succeed by it.
Malbim
"Better is the poor..." — Better is one who is poor to the point that everyone sees his outward poverty, yet he "walks in his integrity" [tam], not swerving from his righteousness, and as his hands [act], so is his heart — for this one has inner, spiritual wealth — than one who is a fool in his inner self, over whom desire rules and who is thereby deprived of the wealth of wisdom, being poor in his inner self; and he "is perverse in his lips" and conceals what is in his heart, and with his lips he disguises his inner path as though he were a lover of wisdom. That is to say: better to be poor in body and wealthy in soul than the opposite.
Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good; And he who hastens with his feet sins.
verse value 1434
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "also" (גַּ֤ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·not·knowledge" (בְּלֹא־דַ֣עַת, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "in·not·knowledge" (בְּלֹא־דַ֣עַת), "with·feet" (בְּרַגְלַ֣יִם). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "soul" (root נפש, 53x in Proverbs); "not·good" (root טוב, 52x in Proverbs); "in·not·knowledge" (root דעת, 29x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root אוץ ("and·hastening") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'not·good', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: גַּ֤ם [also] (43) + בְּלֹא־דַ֣עַת [in·not·knowledge] (507) + נֶ֣פֶשׁ [soul] (430) + לֹא־ט֑וֹב [not·good] (48) + וְאָ֖ץ [and·hastening] (97) + בְּרַגְלַ֣יִם [with·feet] (285) + חוֹטֵֽא [sins] (24) = 1434.
Rashi
It is also not good that a soul be without knowledge It is not good for a person to be without Torah. and he who hastens with his feet sins The sinner treads and tramples the sins with his heels and says, “This is of minor import; I will transgress it.” And our Sages explained: It is also...without knowledge, as referring to one who compels his wife to copulate with him against her will. and he who hastens with his feet sins This refers to one who performs the sex act and repeats it. Another explanation: One who walks on grass on the Sabbath.
Ibn Ezra
"Also" — this comes to add to his disgrace, that he is a fool; that is, because he lacks the knowledge of the rational soul to turn back from crooked ways, it is not good. "And he who hastens" — he who runs to steal is a sinner.
Ralbag
"Also, that [the soul be] without knowledge" — Also on account of the lack of knowledge, a person's will and desire will incline toward what is not good; and whoever is quick to pursue those desires is a sinner.
Metzudat David
"Also, without knowledge" — Even one who commits a transgression without knowledge and intent — nevertheless his soul is certainly not good, for no wrong befalls the righteous. "And he who hastens" — One who hurries with his feet to go to the place to which his heart has carried him is counted a sinner, for it is proper to consider first, lest some transgression come of it.
Metzudat Zion
'Hastens' — an expression of speed, as in 'and it did not hasten to come' (Joshua 10:13).
Malbim
"Also, that the soul be without knowledge..." — Even if a person does not sin, deviating from the way, through folly, but rather through a lack of knowledge — that is, his soul is without knowledge — this too is not good; and also if he hurries along with his feet out of habit, and thereby strays from the way, he too sins.
The foolishness of man perverts his way; And his heart frets against Hashem.
verse value 1619
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אָ֭דָם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·against·Hashem" (וְעַל־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·against·Hashem" (וְעַל־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה), "frets" (יִזְעַ֥ף). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·against·Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "his·way" (root דרך, 74x in Proverbs); "his·heart" (root לב, 57x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·way', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִוֶּ֣לֶת [foolishness·of] (437) + אָ֭דָם [man] (45) + תְּסַלֵּ֣ף [twists] (570) + דַּרְכּ֑וֹ [his·way] (230) + וְעַל־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה [and·against·Hashem] (132) + יִזְעַ֥ף [frets] (167) + לִבּֽוֹ [his·heart] (38) = 1619.
Rashi
A man’s folly perverts his way Harm comes upon him because of his sin, because his folly perverts his way and he commits sins for which he is punished; and when the trouble befalls him, his heart is wroth with the Holy One, blessed be He, and he questions the Divine standard of justice, e.g. Joseph’s brothers, who said (Gen. 42:28): “What is this that God has done to us?”
Ibn Ezra
"His way" — this is his business and his occupation, as in "from pursuing your ways" (Isaiah 58:13). "He frets" — he becomes sad and angry, and does not cry out to God in his time of trouble.
Ralbag
"The foolishness of man" — The foolishness of man is the cause that perverts his way in his affairs, because he did not pursue them by proper means; and afterward, when his plans do not succeed, his heart grows angry at Hashem, [thinking] that He punished him — according to his own reckoning — by withholding from him what he had planned to do; and he does not understand that this happened to him on account of his own foolishness.
Metzudat David
"The foolishness" — The foolishness that a man commits perverts his way, for through his folly he stumbles; yet his heart does not see it so, for he grows angry at Hashem, brooding over His ways.
Metzudat Zion
'Perverts' — it twists, as in 'and perverseness therein' (above, Proverbs 15). 'Frets' — he becomes angry, as in 'I will bear the indignation of Hashem' (Micah 7:9).
Malbim
"The foolishness of man perverts his way, and his heart frets against Hashem" — Hashem prepared man in such a way that he would be able to walk in the good and living way, by means of the laws of wisdom that He revealed to him. And as long as he trusts in the laws of wisdom, he walks in the good way and does not complain against Hashem that He did not create him with a straight way; rather, it is his own foolishness and doubt regarding the ways of wisdom that perverts his way. And this foolishness is not attributed to Hashem, for it is the foolishness of man insofar as he is man — yet he frets his heart against Hashem, as though He had not created him properly and had not shown him the good and straight way.
Wealth adds many friends; But as for the poor, his friend separates himself from him.
verse value 1448
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "wealth" (ה֗וֹן, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·his·friend" (מֵרֵעֵ֥הוּ, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "is·separated" (יִפָּרֵֽד). The root רע appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "friends" (root רע, 69x 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: ה֗וֹן [wealth] (61) + יֹ֭סִיף [adds] (160) + רֵעִ֣ים [friends] (320) + רַבִּ֑ים [many] (252) + וְ֝דָ֗ל [and·poor] (40) + מֵרֵעֵ֥הוּ [from·his·friend] (321) + יִפָּרֵֽד [is·separated] (294) = 1448.
Rashi
Wealth adds many friends Heb. רעים רבים, many lovers. And it can be interpreted as concerning one who learned Torah.
Ibn Ezra
"Wealth," "witness," "many," "all" — these are four connected [verses]. And in the fifth he made known the praise of one who is gracious to the poor, and the disgrace of one who squanders his wealth on friends. "Adds friends" — beyond his [existing] friends. And when he becomes poor, he is separated from his friend, for his friend distances himself from him until he separates from him entirely. And it is possible that he had been a false witness, and that is why he became impoverished.
Ralbag
"Wealth adds" — The wealth of the rich man adds to him many friends, for he continually benefits them with his wealth; but the poor man does not acquire friends for himself — rather, his poverty is the cause that his friend separates from him, for he has nothing with which to benefit him so as to sustain the friendship between them.
Metzudat David
"Wealth" — Riches add many friends to their owner, for he is loved by all, both by the poor and by the rich; but the poor man is separated even from his friend who is as poor as himself.
Malbim
"Wealth adds many friends" — if you see that the rich man has many friends, they are not friends of the rich man himself but of his wealth, which adds many friends; just as it increases in money, so it increases in friends. And the poor man — just as he becomes separated from his wealth, so he becomes separated from his friend — for most friendship and love is self-love, dependent on the wealth from which one hopes to gain benefit.
A false witness shall not be unpunished; And he who breathes forth lies shall not escape.
verse value 1233
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "witness·of" (עֵ֣ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "lies" (שְׁ֭קָרִים, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, not. The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 61x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'is·unpunished', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: עֵ֣ד [witness·of] (74) + שְׁ֭קָרִים [lies] (650) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִנָּקֶ֑ה [is·unpunished] (165) + וְיָפִ֥יחַ [and·breathes] (114) + כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים [lies] (79) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִמָּלֵֽט [escapes] (89) = 1233.
Ibn Ezra
"Shall not be unpunished" — he shall not be clear of his due punishment. "And he who breathes forth" — this is an expression of speech.
Ralbag
"A false witness" — Whoever testifies falsely and deceitfully, and thereby causes a wicked man to be acquitted and a righteous man to be condemned, shall not be cleared of punishment, for Hashem will punish him with an extraordinary punishment for this; and likewise whoever speaks lies shall not escape, for this is the cause of great evils, as stated before.
Metzudat David
"Shall not be unpunished" — Even though he was not proven a conspiring witness (huzam) in court and did not receive his punishment there, he shall not be unpunished by the judgment from Above. "Shall not escape" — For since he is accustomed to speaking falsehood, he will in the end testify falsely, and he will not escape punishment when he is proven a conspiring witness.
Metzudat Zion
'Breathes forth' — an expression of speaking/uttering.
Malbim
"A false witness" — There is a difference between sheqer (falsehood) and kazav (a lie): the sheqer is evident to all, whereas the kazav appears true at first. And there is a difference between an "ed" (witness) and a "meifiach" (one who breathes it forth): the "ed" testifies by way of full, formal testimony, while the "meifiach" speaks weakly, as one who merely breathes it out with his lips. He is saying: behold, one who testifies to an evident falsehood will certainly not go unpunished; and even if he only breathes it out with his lips, not by way of formal testimony, and even though it is a kazav that appears true at first, nevertheless he will not escape by this — for in the end his lie will be revealed and he will be punished.
Many will entreat the favor of the liberal man; And every man is a friend to the one who gives gifts.
verse value 1674
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 1674 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "gift" (מַתָּֽן, 3 letters) and the longest is "face·of·noble" (פְנֵֽי־נָדִ֑יב, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "entreat" (יְחַלּ֣וּ), "face·of·noble" (פְנֵֽי־נָדִ֑יב), "and·every·friend" (וְכׇל־הָ֝רֵ֗עַ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·man·of" (root איש, 80x in Proverbs); "and·every·friend" (root רע, 69x in Proverbs); "face·of·noble" (root פנים, 41x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'face·of·noble', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: רַ֭בִּים [many] (252) + יְחַלּ֣וּ [entreat] (54) + פְנֵֽי־נָדִ֑יב [face·of·noble] (206) + וְכׇל־הָ֝רֵ֗עַ [and·every·friend] (331) + לְאִ֣ישׁ [to·man·of] (341) + מַתָּֽן [gift] (490) = 1674.
Rashi
The great will beg the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend All become friends to a man who gives gifts. This may be interpreted as referring to those who give charity, and it may also be interpreted as referring to those who disseminate the Torah.
Ibn Ezra
"Many" — from the same root as "the king's nobles"; that is, the generous man, because his heart moves him to give to the poor, his stature grows great, until great men entreat his favor, that he might help them or love them — similar to "with a gift shall they entreat your favor" (Psalm 45:13). And all his friends attach themselves to a man who gives — to a man who gives them gifts. And the word "they distanced themselves" (רחקו) — is a plural formed by combining [several] individuals. "For from his friend" — is singular; and its meaning is: each and every one, until they all distanced themselves. And "pursues" — is a transitive verb applied to its true subject, for it is the poor man who is doing the pursuing. And "those who speak" — they are the pursuers, and the brothers or the friends are the ones pursued, as in "and He shall pursue His enemies into darkness" (Nahum 1:8), and "she shall pursue her lovers" (Hosea 2:9). And the matter connects with what was said above, "and the poor man is separated from his friend": all the brothers of the poor man hate him, all the more so his friends, who distanced themselves from him after having attached themselves to him for the sake of his gifts. And the poor man sends messengers to pursue after them — the emissaries of his pleas — hoping perhaps his friends will draw near to him; but they do not listen.
Ralbag
"Many will entreat the favor of the liberal man" — Generosity is a good portion, for many honored people will entreat the favor of a generous man in order to obtain the generosity of his heart; and all people are companions and friends to a man who gives gifts; and from this perspective wealth is preferable to poverty.
Metzudat David
"Many" — The great ones of the people entreat the favor of the generous man in order to obtain the generosity of his heart, and all his friends join with the man who gives gifts.
Metzudat Zion
'Many' — great and important people, as in 'the king's officers' (Jeremiah 41). 'Will entreat' — they seek/beseech, as in 'and Moses entreated' (Exodus 32).
Malbim
"Many will entreat the favor of the liberal man, and every man is a friend to the one who gives gifts" — The definition of the "nadiv" (liberal/noble man) is one who gives what is fitting, at the fitting time, to the fitting person — such as to a poor man in his time of need. But the "ish mattan" (man of gifts) scatters constantly, even to the wealthy, out of a trait of extravagance. The nadiv has no friends, for the wealthy do not befriend him, since he does not give them gifts; only many entreat his favor, these being the poor and the needy. And it says only "many" entreat him, not "all" — meaning, the poor, but not the wealthy. But to the "ish mattan," all are his friends — poor and wealthy alike — and they also join with him in friendship, for friendship depends on self-benefit and is not true friendship, as above in verse 4.
All the brethren of the poor do hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He who pursues words, they turn against him.
verse value 2545
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 45 letters. Notable word values: "to·him·they" (לוֹ־הֵֽמָּה) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "even" (אַ֤ף, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·brothers·of·poor" (כׇּ֥ל־אֲחֵי־רָ֨שׁ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "all·brothers·of·poor" (כׇּ֥ל־אֲחֵי־רָ֨שׁ), "hate·him" (שְֽׂנֵאֻ֗הוּ), "are·far" (רָחֲק֣וּ). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root כי, 51x in Proverbs); "words" (root אמר, 45x in Proverbs); "hate·him" (root שנא, 28x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words.
Rashi
All the kinsmen of a poor man lit. the brothers, the kinsmen. surely his friends distance themselves Surely his friends, his companions, and his lovers. he pursues statements that are fit for him He says, “So-and-so and so-and-so are my relatives. So-and-so and so-and-so are my friends.” And all are words of futility. This can be interpreted as concerning one who is poor in Torah and in good deeds. he pursues statements which are futile He seeks to promulgate the halachah, but it is not in his possession. The midrash interprets it as concerning Joseph, who spread slander about his brothers. He would say to his father that they were suspected of [eating] limbs from a living animal. Therefore, they hated him, and he was called a poor man because he would spread false rumors about them and look for statements that were not true (לא המה). We read לו, “to him,” for he would pursue statements for his own benefit, and in Joseph’s matter, they were his, because his slander returned upon him. He would say that they ate limbs from a living animal, but Scripture testifies about them that even in the time of sin, they would slaughter a kid, as it is said: (Gen. 37:31) “and they slaughtered a kid.” He would say that they degraded the sons of the maidservants. Therefore, Joseph was sold as a slave. He would say that they gazed upon the women of the land. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “By your life, I will incite a bear upon you.” Therefore, (ibid. 39:7) “his master’s wife lifted, etc.” [This appears] in Genesis Rabbah [see 84:7].
Ralbag
"All the brethren of the poor" — This is because even the brothers of the poor man hate him, seeing that they receive no benefit from him, even though they are his own flesh and blood; and how much more so do the people who were formerly his friends now distance themselves from him. Thus his poverty is the cause that his brothers and friends pursue him, saying, "[These things] are not so" — meaning, that they slander him, [claiming] that he said or did against them things that are not true.
Metzudat David
"How much more" — If his brothers, who are his own flesh and bone, hate him, how much more will each of his friends distance himself from him, until all have distanced themselves. "He who pursues" — Even though he pursues words merely to converse idly with them in general matters, they will not listen to him, and his words remain his alone, since there is no one to listen to them.
Malbim
"All the brethren of the poor hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He who pursues words, they turn against him" — Now, the "rash" is [more severely poor] than the "dal": for the "dal" is only separated from his friend, whereas the "rash" — even his brothers hate him, and how much more so his friends. His friends certainly hate him, for they have already distanced themselves from him — for if his close brothers hate him, how much more so his distant friends. Yet nevertheless he pursues words and self-glorification, and claims that they are his, that they belong to him and are his friends and lovers.
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding shall find good.
verse value 1812
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "loves" (אֹהֵ֣ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·find·good" (לִמְצֹא־טֽוֹב, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "getting·heart" (קֹֽנֶה־לֵּ֭ב), "to·find·good" (לִמְצֹא־טֽוֹב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·soul" (root נפש, 53x in Proverbs); "loves" (root אהב, 31x in Proverbs); "keeping" (root שמר, 31x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: קֹֽנֶה־לֵּ֭ב [getting·heart] (187) + אֹהֵ֣ב [loves] (8) + נַפְשׁ֑וֹ [his·soul] (436) + שֹׁמֵ֥ר [keeping] (540) + תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה [understanding] (463) + לִמְצֹא־טֽוֹב [to·find·good] (178) = 1812.
Ibn Ezra
"He who gets" and "witness" [verses 8-9] are two connected [verses]. The intellect is called "heart": one who loves his soul [does so] to keep it alive until a time of ripe old age. "And he who keeps understanding" — after he has acquired it, in order to find the good he kept it, for Hashem will bring him His goodness in this world and in the world to come. But a false witness, who has not acquired knowledge, shall not be clear of calamity.
Ralbag
"He who gets a heart" — Whoever acquires intellect loves his own soul, for through this he attains the flourishing of the soul; and he guards understanding in his heart in order to find the true and ultimate good, which is the knowledge of holy things.
Metzudat David
"He who acquires a heart" — Since knowledge resides in the heart, it says "acquires a heart," meaning: one who acquires knowledge loves his own soul; and one who guards understanding in his heart so as not to forget it — this is the cause of finding good.
Malbim
"He who gets a heart loves his own soul" — the "heart" designates the ruling faculty within man. And even one who knows the laws of wisdom does not yet have his heart in his own possession, for desire and wisdom wage war within his heart, and the evil inclination builds great siege-works against it in order to conquer the heart under its dominion. And one who loves his soul and wishes to preserve it from being cut off by the enemy — he is the one who "acquires the heart," as it is written: (Proverbs 14:33) "In the heart of the discerning, wisdom rests" — for through contemplating the ways of wisdom, by the power of understanding, so that he grasps its reasons, the warfare ceases and the heart comes into his possession. And this is called "acquiring," for understanding is like money with which one purchases merchandise, as it is written, "to acquire understanding is preferable to silver" — and with this money he acquires the heart, so that it becomes his own. And he explains that this comes about through one who "keeps understanding." And since a person sometimes seeks evil by means of his own understanding, reasoning through false paths so as to arrive at false opinions, he adds the condition: provided he keeps understanding in order to find good. And he goes on to explain: "for..."
A false witness shall not be unpunished; And he who breathes forth lies shall perish.
verse value 1130
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "witness·of" (עֵ֣ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "lies" (שְׁ֭קָרִים, 5 letters). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 61x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'is·unpunished', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: עֵ֣ד [witness·of] (74) + שְׁ֭קָרִים [lies] (650) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִנָּקֶ֑ה [is·unpunished] (165) + וְיָפִ֖יחַ [and·breathes] (114) + כְּזָבִ֣ים [lies] (79) + יֹאבֵֽד [perishes] (17) = 1130.
Ralbag
"A false witness" — Whoever testifies falsely in matters of wisdom, whose first principles require testimony, shall not be cleared [of punishment], for this is the cause of making the people who hear his testimony stumble in theoretical matters; and whoever speaks falsehoods in theoretical matters, and especially regarding fundamentals and first principles, shall perish, for this is the cause of distancing him from his perfection to the utmost degree.
Metzudat David
"Shall not be unpunished" — Even if he was not proven a conspiring witness, he shall not be unpunished by the judgment from Above. "Shall perish" — His end is destruction, for he will come to give false testimony.
Malbim
"A false witness shall not be unpunished" — if he uses his understanding and brings forth a false word — for understanding discerns between truth and falsehood — and testifies falsely, such as to deny the existence of Hashem or His providence, he shall not be unpunished. And even if he breathes forth lies by means of misleading syllogisms, such that the falsehood is not recognized immediately but only after examination and scrutiny, he shall perish. And there is no redundancy here with what this same verse already stated above, in verse 5.
Luxury is not seemly for a fool; Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
verse value 1911
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. Verse gematria: 1911 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "even" (אַ֝֗ף, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·comely" (לֹא־נָאוֶ֣ה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "daintiness" (תַּעֲנ֑וּג), "that·for·servant" (כִּֽי־לְעֶ֤בֶד). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·fool" (root כסיל, 49x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'daintiness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: לֹא־נָאוֶ֣ה [not·comely] (93) + לִכְסִ֣יל [for·fool] (150) + תַּעֲנ֑וּג [daintiness] (529) + אַ֝֗ף [even] (81) + כִּֽי־לְעֶ֤בֶד [that·for·servant] (136) + מְשֹׁ֬ל [to·rule] (370) + בְּשָׂרִֽים [over·princes] (552) = 1911.
Rashi
Pleasure does not befit a fool, much less a slave It is derived by an a fortiori conclusion that it does not befit a slave to rule over princes.
Ibn Ezra
"Is not seemly" — nor is it fitting for luxury to belong to a fool. And this is the counterpart to "he who keeps understanding shall find good" [v. 8]. And it is possible that the fool here is the false witness [of v. 9]. "Luxury" — its meaning is to take pleasure in the world. "Much less for a servant to have rule over princes" — over the honored, it is not fitting.
Ralbag
"Not seemly" — It is not possible for pleasure to come to a fool, for on account of his folly it is fitting that pain befall him in all things; and how much more is it not fitting for a servant to rule over princes. And it is as if he said this to point out that a person should not make the bodily faculty of the soul a ruler, for it ought rather to be a servant and attendant to the other faculties of the soul that bring a person to perfection; for this is among the things that confuse human actions and turn a person's actions into bestial ones rather than human ones.
Metzudat David
"Is not seemly, etc." — For when he indulges in luxury, he will hold fast to foolishness. "Much less" — How much less is it fitting for a servant to rule over princes, for he will further force everyone to follow his evil character, which he acquired through his servitude.
Metzudat Zion
'Seemly' — fitting and beautiful.
Malbim
"Luxury is not seemly for a fool" — the fool knows the laws of wisdom; it is only that desire has overpowered him, so that he wants luxury and the pleasures of the world. And this luxury is not fitting for him, for although the body enjoys pleasure, the soul is thereby subjugated to the desires of the body — and it is not proper that the body should rule over the soul, with the soul submitting to the body, which was created to be its servant, while the soul should reign by its own powers. And from this very fact one knows that it is not seemly for a servant to rule over princes — for by this same reasoning, luxury is not seemly for a fool, because the body, the servant, rules over the soul.
It is the discretion of a man to be slow to anger, And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
verse value 2633
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "discretion·of" (שֵׂ֣כֶל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·his·glory" (וְ֝תִפְאַרְתּ֗וֹ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "lengthens" (הֶאֱרִ֣יךְ), "and·his·glory" (וְ֝תִפְאַרְתּ֗וֹ), "over·transgression" (עַל־פָּֽשַׁע). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root אדם, 44x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·nose', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: שֵׂ֣כֶל [discretion·of] (350) + אָ֭דָם [man] (45) + הֶאֱרִ֣יךְ [lengthens] (236) + אַפּ֑וֹ [his·nose] (87) + וְ֝תִפְאַרְתּ֗וֹ [and·his·glory] (1093) + עֲבֹ֣ר [to·pass·over] (272) + עַל־פָּֽשַׁע [over·transgression] (550) = 2633.
Rashi
It is good sense for a man to be slow to anger Heb. האריך, like להאריך, to be slow. If he did so, it is good sense for him. and it is his glory that he pass over his retaliations.
Ibn Ezra
"To pass over a transgression" — that he passes over it in order to distance himself from it; and this is a figurative expression, for one who wishes to take revenge dwells upon the transgression, while one who forgives is as if he passed over it and abandoned it. "Is slow [to anger]" (lit. "lengthens") — is a transitive verb in the past tense applied to its true subject; and its meaning is that the intellect is what lengthens a person's anger. "And his glory" — that others will glorify him for passing over a transgression.
Ralbag
"The discretion of a man" — The discretion of a man will cause him to be slow to anger, and not to become angry easily at vexing things when he encounters them; and the glory of a person is that he passes over transgression and does not persist in dispute, for through this he establishes love between himself and others.
Metzudat David
"Discretion" — The discretion within a man is what lengthens his patience [makes him slow to anger], for it disciplines him not to rush hastily into a quarrel. "And his glory" — the glory spoken of here is that people will say of him that he passes over and forgives one who has sinned against him.
Malbim
"It is the discretion of a man to be slow to anger" — it is among the ways of intellect and understanding not to take revenge immediately, but rather to be slow to anger, as it is written: "He who is slow to anger has great understanding, and a man of understanding stays silent," and "one hasty of temper acts foolishly." And this is "the discretion of man" — meaning, this is required by the plain intellect of man, for if he wishes to take revenge, his fellow will also do him harm and shame him. But to pass over the transgression entirely and not harbor hatred even in his heart — this is among the laws of wisdom, and this is the glory of man insofar as he is a man of religion, with the wisdom of God and good sense in his heart, in which to take glory.
The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; But his favor is as dew upon the grass.
verse value 1561
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "growling" (נַ֣הַם, 3 letters) and the longest is "like·the·young·lion" (כַּ֭כְּפִיר, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "rage·of" (זַ֣עַף), "and·like·dew" (וּכְטַ֖ל), "upon·grass" (עַל־עֵ֣שֶׂב). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 24x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root כפיר ("like·the·young·lion") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'king', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: נַ֣הַם [growling] (95) + כַּ֭כְּפִיר [like·the·young·lion] (330) + זַ֣עַף [rage·of] (157) + מֶ֑לֶךְ [king] (90) + וּכְטַ֖ל [and·like·dew] (65) + עַל־עֵ֣שֶׂב [upon·grass] (472) + רְצוֹנֽוֹ [his·favor] (352) = 1561.
Rashi
The King’s fury is like a lion’s roar [The fury of] the Holy One, blessed be He.
Ibn Ezra
"The king's wrath" — against those who anger him. "And as dew upon the grass" — that it moistens it; so is the will of the king toward whomever he favors.
Ralbag
"The roaring of a lion" — The wrath of a king is very dangerous, for he has the power to carry out whatever his anger dictates, bringing evil upon the one at whom he is angry; and therefore the wrath of a king is compared to the roaring of a young lion that roars for prey, while the favor of a king is compared to dew upon the grass, which makes it grow and nourishes it. For this reason the king ought to be more careful about anger than anyone else, for his anger is more severe and more harmful.
Metzudat David
"His roaring, etc." — The king's wrath terrifies like the roaring of a young lion, and the king's favor is a benefit like the dew that falls upon the grass, for it is in the king's power to abase or to exalt.
Metzudat Zion
'Roaring' — this is what the roar of a lion is called; and so, 'a roaring lion' (below, Proverbs 28). 'Wrath' — anger.
Malbim
"The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion" — when the king is in wrath and displeasure, no man may approach him, just as none may approach the young lion at the time of its roaring — for the lion does not go out after its prey [at that time], but rather tears apart anyone who approaches its lair. But at a time of favor, he is like dew upon the grass, which moistens the grasses and bestows life upon each and every blade individually — so does he pour forth the dew of deliverance round about him upon all his servants, and all draw near to the light of his countenance. And see above: (Proverbs 16:14) "The wrath of a king is as messengers of death."
A foolish son is the calamity of his father; And the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
verse value 1385
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "son" (בֵּ֣ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·his·father" (לְ֭אָבִיו, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 120: fool, and·a·dropping. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·a·dropping" (וְדֶ֥לֶף), "continual" (טֹ֝רֵ֗ד), "contentions·of" (מִדְיְנֵ֥י). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son" (root בן, 51x in Proverbs); "fool" (root כסיל, 49x in Proverbs); "wife" (root אשה, 24x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'fool', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: הַוֺּ֣ת [calamity] (411) + לְ֭אָבִיו [to·his·father] (49) + בֵּ֣ן [son] (52) + כְּסִ֑יל [fool] (120) + וְדֶ֥לֶף [and·a·dropping] (120) + טֹ֝רֵ֗ד [continual] (213) + מִדְיְנֵ֥י [contentions·of] (114) + אִשָּֽׁה [wife] (306) = 1385.
Rashi
a constant dripping lit. a driving drip. [As] the dripping of the rain that falls in the house disturbs and drives out the inhabitants of the house, so are the quarrels of a bad wife.
Ibn Ezra
"Calamity" — events that occur are called "calamities" (הוות); that is, the foolish son brings about calamities for his father. "A continual dropping" — meaning, a persistent drip: its sense is that it drives people out [of the house], just as it does through a woman's contentions, similar to the [Aramaic] term tardin ("driven out"). Another interpretation: "a continual dropping" — that it does not rest. And after he had spoken of a fool and a bad wife, he said: for house and wealth, fathers bequeath to their sons, but they cannot bequeath to them a prudent wife — that is, wisdom — for it is from Hashem.
Ralbag
"A foolish son is the calamity of his father" — The foolish son is to his father a calamity and ruin, from the abundance of his anger and grief over the evil of his son's condition; and a person suffers when his wife stirs up contentions for him, just as one suffers from a relentless leak that drips continually in the house, for this is the cause that makes remaining in the house distressing to him; and likewise a contentious wife is compared in the same way, as he will say further on.
Metzudat David
"Calamity" — A foolish son brings about calamity for his father. "And a dropping" — Just as the drops of rain that leak into the house drive the members of the household to leave it, so the contentions of a wife drive her husband to distance himself from her.
Metzudat Zion
'Calamity' — heartbreak. 'A continual dropping' — an expression of dripping, as in 'my eye drips' (Job 16). 'Driving' — an expression of expulsion, as in 'and you shall be driven out' (Daniel 4).
Malbim
"A foolish son is the calamity of his father, and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping" — he has already said above: (Proverbs 17:25) "A foolish son is a vexation to his father." And here he states that if the contentions of a wife are joined to [the vexation of] the foolish son, then the strife within the house is like a leak that drips through the roof into the house and ruins the house; and when he goes out of the house, he finds his foolish son and his evil deeds — then it will be a calamity and ruin for the father, for through the fool the contentions continually increase, until he is broken.
House and riches are the inheritance of fathers; But a prudent wife is from Hashem.
verse value 2544
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "house" (בַּ֣יִת, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·from·Hashem" (וּ֝מֵיְהֹוָ֗ה, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "inheritance·of" (נַחֲלַ֣ת), "fathers" (אָב֑וֹת), "prudent" (מַשְׂכָּֽלֶת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·from·Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "house" (root בית, 38x in Proverbs); "wife" (root אשה, 24x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'fathers', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: בַּ֣יִת [house] (412) + וָ֭הוֹן [and·riches] (67) + נַחֲלַ֣ת [inheritance·of] (488) + אָב֑וֹת [fathers] (409) + וּ֝מֵיְהֹוָ֗ה [and·from·Hashem] (72) + אִשָּׁ֥ה [wife] (306) + מַשְׂכָּֽלֶת [prudent] (790) = 2544.
Ralbag
"House and riches" — It is possible for a person to inherit from his fathers a house in which his heart delights, and riches and wealth; but that he have a prudent wife — this is something that cannot come to be except from Hashem, for this does not depend on choice at all, but requires that divine help accompany him.
Metzudat David
"The inheritance" — a man inherits from his fathers. "But from Hashem, etc." — for this matter is not dependent on the hands of the fathers.
Malbim
"House and riches are the inheritance of fathers" — House and wealth pass by inheritance from fathers to sons: one inherits them from his father and bequeaths them to his sons after him, on condition that, if from Hashem he is granted a prudent wife who makes her husband prosper and manages the house and the wealth with wisdom — then it will remain an inheritance for generations. For the wife is the one who preserves the wealth, and she is the one who destroys the house through her folly, as it is written, "A woman of valor builds her house, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands."
Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; And the idle soul shall suffer hunger.
verse value 2727
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "sluggishness" (עַ֭צְלָה, 4 letters) and the longest is "deep·sleep" (תַּרְדֵּמָ֑ה, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "sluggishness" (עַ֭צְלָה), "deep·sleep" (תַּרְדֵּמָ֑ה), "hungers" (תִרְעָֽב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·soul·of" (root נפש, 53x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'deep·sleep', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: עַ֭צְלָה [sluggishness] (195) + תַּפִּ֣יל [casts] (520) + תַּרְדֵּמָ֑ה [deep·sleep] (649) + וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ [and·soul·of] (436) + רְמִיָּ֣ה [laxness] (255) + תִרְעָֽב [hungers] (672) = 2727.
Rashi
Laziness causes one to fall into a deep sleep Laziness causes one to fall asleep. This is the figure, but the allegory is that it concerns one who neglects his studies; it will ultimately come about that people will ask him words of wisdom, and he will be sound asleep. and a deceitful soul shall suffer hunger He will ultimately become poor. Similarly, one who is deceitful in his studies, making his Torah into “bundles,” will ultimately forget.
Ibn Ezra
"Slothfulness" — is a noun on the pattern of "motah" (her death), "kivsah" (ewe); that is, laziness itself casts deep sleep upon the lazy person. Likewise, the soul that plans to deceive others — it shall go hungry. "And deceitful" — is on the pattern of "tzidah" (hunting).
Ralbag
"Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep" — It is the way of slothfulness to cast [a person] into a deep sleep, and this is evident from experience, for slothfulness makes the faculties drowsy and wearies them. And in the same way you find that the soul which trusts that it will attain sufficient sustenance through deceit becomes lazy on this account about employing labors in seeking sustenance, and so will go hungry, for it will not find its food by this means. Or he means by this: just as slothfulness casts [a person] into a deep sleep and prevents the sentient soul from its activity, while thinking it thereby gives pleasure and rest to its faculties, so the soul of a deceitful man goes hungry, and withholds from itself its activity of attaining the intelligibles, while thinking that in this way it will easily attain sufficient sustenance and will be more free to bring its soul to perfection. And this is indeed so, for it is the way of deceit to prevent a person from attaining perfection.
Metzudat David
"Slothfulness" — Slothfulness casts a deep sleep upon its owner, in the manner of one who sits idle. "And the idle soul" — the one who desires to be sustained through deceit and not through the work of his hands, his end will be hunger, for he will not be able to deceive at all times.
Malbim
"Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep" — He has already praised diligence many times, and, in contrast to diligence, he has censured laziness and deceit. Here he states that deceit is worse than laziness, for the lazy person, at least, will not go hungry, since "slothfulness casts into a deep sleep," and while sunk in deep sleep he has no need to eat. But the deceitful person, who likewise does not obtain what he needs yet does not sleep — his soul shall go hungry.
He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul; But he who despises His ways shall die.
verse value 2829
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "keeper·of" (שֹׁמֵ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "His·ways" (דְרָכָ֣יו, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 540: keeper·of, keeper·of. The root שמר appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "His·ways" (root דרך, 74x in Proverbs); "his·soul" (root נפש, 53x in Proverbs); "keeper·of" (root שמר, 31x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words.
Rashi
He who keeps a commandment keeps his soul; he who despises his ways will die He does not take heed to weigh them.
Ibn Ezra
"He who keeps the commandment" — in that he does not abandon it, keeps his soul from death. "And he who despises His ways" — the ways that are fitting for him. "Shall die" (qere) — at the hand of Heaven, before his time. It is written "shall be put to death" (ketiv) — meaning that the court will put him to death, if it becomes known that he openly despised the way of the commandments.
Ralbag
"He who keeps the commandment" — One who keeps the commandment of Hashem in His perfect Torah keeps his own soul, for it guides a person to the rectification of the body and the rectification of the soul. But one who despises Hashem, exalted be He, will die because of the folly of his character traits and the deficiency of his intellect, which are the cause of a person's dying before his time — along with the punishment that Hashem brings upon him for his transgressing His commandments, as has been demonstrated by the testimony of the words of the prophets.
Metzudat David
"He who despises His ways" — one who despises the ways that are proper for him will die before his time.
Malbim
"He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul" — Before a person lie two paths, the way of life and the way of death, and he does not know which path to walk, for "there is a way that seems right before a man, but its end is the ways of death." He must heed the commandment that instructs him which way to walk and live, and then he keeps his soul; but one who despises His ways and walks in the ways of his own heart and his despicable desires shall die the death of the soul.
He who is gracious to the poor lends to Hashem; And his good deed will He repay to him.
verse value 756
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 756 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "poor" (דָּ֑ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "will·repay·to·him" (יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "gracious" (ח֣וֹנֵֽן), "and·his·deed" (וּ֝גְמֻל֗וֹ), "will·repay·to·him" (יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root לוה ("lender·of") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'poor', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: מַלְוֵ֣ה [lender·of] (81) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + ח֣וֹנֵֽן [gracious] (114) + דָּ֑ל [poor] (34) + וּ֝גְמֻל֗וֹ [and·his·deed] (85) + יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ [will·repay·to·him] (416) = 756.
Rashi
He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him his reward When he becomes ill and is close to death, his charity defends him before the Divine standard of justice, saying, “The poor man’s soul was struggling to leave him because of hunger, and this one sustained it. I, too, will return his soul to him.”
Ibn Ezra
"Lends" — whoever is gracious to the poor, Hashem will lend to him; for the wealth in a person's hand is a deposit and a loan. "And his good deed" — that Hashem will be gracious to him, just as he was gracious to the poor.
Ralbag
"Lends to Hashem" — One who is gracious to the poor is as though he lends to Hashem what he gives to the poor man, for it is upon Hashem to satisfy the desire of every living thing; and therefore Hashem will repay him his recompense and bless him on account of this. And so Hashem gives the wealthy man blessing in all the undertakings of his hand, so that the poor may rejoice in his goodness, as is mentioned in the Torah.
Metzudat David
"Lends, etc." — one who is gracious to the poor by giving him charity is like one who lends to Hashem; and indeed He will repay him the value of the loan, and will further add a reward for the goodness of the loan.
Malbim
"He who is gracious to the poor lends to Hashem, and his good deed will He repay to him" — Whoever gives to the poor graciously, as a free gift, is like one who lends to Hashem, for beyond repaying the debt, He will also repay the recompense — for the nature of recompense is an emotional response of love, so He will also repay the love that was stirred by his kindness, which is greater than the debt itself. (It may also be explained: Hashem lends to the one who is gracious to the poor — that is, what the wealthy man holds in hand is a loan from Hashem so that he may be gracious to the poor, and by this he repays a recompense to Hashem for the loan.)
Chasten your son, for there is hope; But set not your heart on his destruction.
verse value 2873
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Verse gematria: 2873 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "chasten" (יַסֵּ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·to·his·death" (וְאֶל־הֲ֝מִית֗וֹ, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "for·there·is" (כִּֽי־יֵ֣שׁ), "and·to·his·death" (וְאֶל־הֲ֝מִית֗וֹ), "do·not·lift" (אַל־תִּשָּׂ֥א). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "your·soul" (root נפש, 53x in Proverbs); "your·son" (root בן, 51x in Proverbs); "and·to·his·death" (root מות, 23x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hope', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: יַסֵּ֣ר [chasten] (270) + בִּ֭נְךָ [your·son] (72) + כִּֽי־יֵ֣שׁ [for·there·is] (340) + תִּקְוָ֑ה [hope] (511) + וְאֶל־הֲ֝מִית֗וֹ [and·to·his·death] (498) + אַל־תִּשָּׂ֥א [do·not·lift] (732) + נַפְשֶֽׁךָ [your·soul] (450) = 2873.
Rashi
Chastise your son for there is hope, but do not set your heart on his destruction Do not deal him a lethal blow.
Ibn Ezra
"For there is hope" — that there is hope he will lengthen his days when you chasten him. "And [set not your heart] on his death" — that he [the son] will cause the death of others. "Set not your heart" — to sustain it [your soul] through his theft, similar to "and he sets his heart on it, to sustain himself by it" (Deuteronomy 24:15). Another interpretation: "and [set not your heart] on his death" — that others will put him to death; therefore, do not withhold yourself from chastening him. Another interpretation: "and [set not your heart] on his death" — regarding others: if you do not chasten him, you will [in effect] kill him, and there will come forth from him a person of great wrath. Another interpretation: "set not your heart" — [do not withhold discipline] from him. But the son who is a person of great wrath, because of his great wrathfulness — abandon him, and let him receive his punishment, as in "he shall bear his iniquity"; and do not occupy yourself with saving him, for if you save him once, you will have to go on saving him many more times.
Ralbag
"Chasten your son" — in his childhood, for in this there is hope of bringing him to perfection. And even though he cries out and moans when you strike him, do not set your heart on his moaning and crying out so as to be moved and take pity on him because of this, and so refrain from chastening him — for it is better for him to receive the discipline along with the moaning and the crying out, than that he should remain content in the absence of receiving discipline.
Metzudat David
"For there is hope" — that is to say, do not withhold your hand from disciplining him even if you see that it brings no benefit, for there is hope that perhaps, as the discipline increases, it will help. "But do not set your heart on his death, etc." — but do not turn your soul to putting him to death for the wickedness of his deeds.
Malbim
"Chasten your son, for there is hope" — Do not think that there is no hope, that your son has already gone out to bad ways, and because of this refrain from disciplining him; he says there is hope. Likewise, do not refrain from disciplining him just because he wails and cries — do not set your heart on this either.
A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment; For if you interpose, you will add to it.
verse value 2327
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "and·still" (וְע֣וֹד) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 2327 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "great·of·wrath" (גְּֽדׇל־חֵ֭מָה, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "great·of·wrath" (גְּֽדׇל־חֵ֭מָה), "bears" (נֹ֣שֵׂא), "fine" (עֹ֑נֶשׁ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 51x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'fine', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words.
Rashi
A hot-tempered man incurs punishment, etc. But if you pass over your anger and save your enemy if you see harm coming to him, you will yet increase your days and have much goodness.
Ralbag
"A man of great wrath" — One who is a man of great wrath will not escape bearing punishment for this base character trait, for through it he stirs up quarrels with people. And even if it happens that at some time his wrath saves him from someone rising up against him, because that person fears him upon seeing the intensity of his wrath, nevertheless this trait will only lead him to continue behaving this way with others, among whom there will be one who rises up against him and brings him down to ruin — for he himself seeks evil through this base character trait.
Metzudat David
"A man of great wrath" — one who is a man of great wrath will bear punishment for his wrath, for he will certainly do evil to the one at whom he is angry; for if you rescue [the victim] from his hand, behold, his wrath will only increase further, for such is the way of those of great wrath; and if you stand aside, he will carry out his deed, and he is destined for punishment.
Malbim
"A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment" — The punishment bears the "great wrath." If he is a man of great wrath and anger, he shall bear the punishment, for through the punishment that you inflict upon him, his wrath will be quieted; but if you rescue him and do not punish him, you will only add strength to the wrath. It may also be explained: "chasten your son," and do not think that there is no remedy for him, for there is hope, and do not set your heart on thinking that he will die the death of the soul, for there is no cure for him. "Gedal chemah" [read as] the growth (gidul) by which the child grows fat as on cream (chem'ah) — compare "when I washed my steps in cream" (Job 29:6) — the fruit that this growth bears is punishment. For if you rescue him and empty out this fruit — that is, if you wish to remove the punishment — you will only add to its fruit, and the punishment will grow all the greater.
Hear counsel, and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter end.
verse value 2318
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "hear" (שְׁמַ֣ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·your·end" (בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·receive" (וְקַבֵּ֣ל), "you·may·be·wise" (תֶּחְכַּ֥ם). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "you·may·be·wise" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "hear" (root שמע, 30x 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: שְׁמַ֣ע [hear] (410) + עֵ֭צָה [counsel] (165) + וְקַבֵּ֣ל [and·receive] (138) + מוּסָ֑ר [instruction] (306) + לְ֝מַ֗עַן [so·that] (190) + תֶּחְכַּ֥ם [you·may·be·wise] (468) + בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ [in·your·end] (641) = 2318.
Ibn Ezra
"Hear counsel" — regarding the two ways I have made known to you, so that you may know wisdom when you hear instruction, and not follow their own thoughts; for "many are the thoughts in a man's heart," yet they do not endure except for the counsel of Hashem.
Ralbag
"Hear counsel and receive instruction" — Hear counsel in every matter, so that you may be guided to conduct yourself according to praiseworthy ways, and walk by the proper paths toward what you wish to attain; and receive discipline from those greater than you and from the Torah, for this will be the cause of your growing wise in your latter end. Or he means by this: hear my counsel and receive my instruction, for this will guide you to acquire wisdom in your latter end, for the receiving of discipline must precede the acquisition of wisdom, as stated earlier. It is fitting that you know that careful reflection on matters will not benefit a person so as to keep him from falling into misfortune, if he has sinned against Hashem in some respect in a manner that makes him deserving of punishment, or so as to keep the good that Hashem decreed [for him] from reaching his rival instead. For 'many are the thoughts in a man's heart,' and Hashem sometimes brings it about that a person falls into one of these thoughts, which will lead him to what Hashem decreed for him, for good or for evil, whether from the side of providence or from the side of punishment. Therefore it is fitting for a person to strive to draw close to Hashem as much as possible, for without this no scheme will help him escape what Hashem has decreed for him; rather, he will find that everything he devises in order to distance himself from that thing brings about the very causes that draw him closer to it. And this is very well known from many of the prophetic narratives.
Metzudat David
"That you may be wise in your latter end" — provided that you were wise at the beginning of your days.
Malbim
"Hear counsel" — If you wish to acquire wisdom, you must hear counsel, as it is written, "and he who listens to counsel is wise," and "receive instruction." The counsel accords with the ways of wisdom, while the instruction (musar) stems from the fear of Hashem and His punishment, and through this you will become wise "in your latter end." I have already clarified that "the latter end" refers to the purpose and the happiness that comes in the end, so that you may know wisdom with regard to what is beneficial for the end and for the ultimate happiness.
There are many devices in a man’s heart; But the counsel of Hashem, that shall stand.
verse value 2863
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "it" (הִ֣יא, 3 letters) and the longest is "thoughts" (מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·the·counsel·of" (וַעֲצַ֥ת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "in·heart·of·man" (root איש, 80x in Proverbs); "many" (root רב, 26x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·heart·of·man', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: רַבּ֣וֹת [many] (608) + מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת [thoughts] (756) + בְּלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ [in·heart·of·man] (345) + וַעֲצַ֥ת [and·the·counsel·of] (566) + יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + הִ֣יא [it] (16) + תָקֽוּם [will·stand] (546) = 2863.
Metzudat David
"Many" — sometimes a man thinks many thoughts, differing one from another, and not one of them comes to pass; but the thing that Hashem has counseled, that shall stand, even though it was not among the thoughts that he himself had thought.
Malbim
"There are many devices in a man's heart" — The "devices" (machashavot) are what a person considers, weighing all the possible directions by which he might reach some goal through action, and they are many, and they are "in the heart of a man," for it is his to choose, by free will, one of the possible directions. But through this alone he does not attain the "counsel" (etzah), which is the correct manner that hits the mark of his desired goal. The counsel is decreed by Hashem according to His will, and it is this "that shall stand" — for although free will is in a person's hand, the completion of the deed is under Providence, and in general matters upon which the counsel of Hashem operates, Providence prevails and overrides free will, as I have explained elsewhere.
The lust of a man is his shame; And a poor man is better than a liar.
verse value 1833
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Verse gematria: 1833 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "man" (אָדָ֣ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·better·is·poor" (וְטֽוֹב־רָ֝֗שׁ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·better·is·poor" (וְטֽוֹב־רָ֝֗שׁ), "falsehood" (כָּזָֽב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "than·man·of" (root איש, 80x in Proverbs); "and·better·is·poor" (root טוב, 52x in Proverbs); "man" (root אדם, 44x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·shame', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: תַּאֲוַ֣ת [the·desire·of] (807) + אָדָ֣ם [man] (45) + חַסְדּ֑וֹ [his·shame] (78) + וְטֽוֹב־רָ֝֗שׁ [and·better·is·poor] (523) + מֵאִ֥ישׁ [than·man·of] (351) + כָּזָֽב [falsehood] (29) = 1833.
Rashi
The attraction to a man is his kindness The main reason why people are attracted to a person is because of his kindness. and a poor man is better than a liar And if he is a liar, who promises but does not perform, a poor man is better than he.
Ibn Ezra
"The desire of a man" — is to perform his own kindness; that is, he continually desires to perform kindness for whoever deserves it from him. Or, [the word] "ta'avat" is from [the same root as] "na'veh" — as in "holiness is becoming" (Psalm 93:5). "And a poor man is better than a liar" — one who says he will perform kindness but deceives — the poor man is better than him, similar to "like one who boasts of a false gift" (Proverbs 25:14).
Ralbag
"The lust of a man is his shame" — The lust of man is by nature something that is a disgrace to him, for the imagination of a man's heart is evil from his youth, and therefore his desires are directed toward the desire of matter, in which he shares with the beasts. And therefore it is better for a poor man who attains nothing of these desires, than for a man of falsehood who is always sated with these pleasures, which are vanity and falsehood. Or he means by this: the desire of man is that he attain the kindness of Hashem in [worldly] matters, and it is better for one who is poor in opinions to attain this — that is, one who has only ignorance, which is a lack [of knowledge] — than a man of falsehood who has false opinions. For the poor man needs only to learn wisdom, whereas the man of falsehood must first be cured of the defect of his false opinions, which distance him as much as possible from Hashem — and this is a matter of tremendous difficulty, namely, to remove him from these opinions — and after that he will still need to learn wisdom according to the true foundations.
Metzudat David
"The desire" — that which people desire from a person is on account of the kindness he has promised them; but a rich man who promises kindness and is deceitful — behold, the poor man is better than him, because since he lacks the means, it is not his way to promise, and so he does not bring people to a failing of the eyes [dashed hopes].
Malbim
"The lust of a man is his shame" [i.e., the kindness of a man is his true nature] — The kindness (chesed) that a person performs is what expresses him and depicts his character, for his inner form is recognized through the kindness manifested from him, by which his qualities and character become known. But a lying man, who promises kindness and does not act upon it — the poor man is better than he, for it is possible that the poor man's inner nature is inclined toward kindness, whereas the lying man is recognized not merely as one who fails to perform kindness, but further, as one who is false to his own word.
The fear of Hashem tends to life; And he who has it shall abide satisfied, He shall not be visited with evil.
verse value 1709
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "evil" (רָֽע, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·be·visited" (בַּל־יִפָּ֥קֶד, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "abides" (יָ֝לִ֗ין), "not·be·visited" (בַּל־יִפָּ֥קֶד). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "evil" (root רע, 69x in Proverbs); "to·life" (root חי, 32x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·life', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: יִרְאַ֣ת [the·fear·of] (611) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + לְחַיִּ֑ים [to·life] (98) + וְשָׂבֵ֥עַ [and·satisfied] (378) + יָ֝לִ֗ין [abides] (100) + בַּל־יִפָּ֥קֶד [not·be·visited] (226) + רָֽע [evil] (270) = 1709.
Rashi
and he will rest satisfied He who fears the Lord will rest, satisfied that he will not be visited by any evil.
Ibn Ezra
"The fear of Hashem tends to life" — for the sake of life, one fears Him. "And he who has it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil" — the one who fears [Hashem] will not be visited [with harm], and will not recall the sorrow that had already befallen him; that is, his troubles will not be remembered while he is satisfied with the good of God.
Ralbag
"The fear of Hashem" — The fear of Hashem guides a person toward eternal life. And so one who possesses the fear of Hashem shall abide satisfied, for he will not hunger nor crave bodily desires, since no evil matter will be recalled to him that he would dwell on it — for the fear of Hashem prevents him from craving these shameful things.
Metzudat David
"To life" — it [the fear of Hashem] is a cause leading to life, and he will continually abide satisfied, and he will not be recalled for evil, that is to say, no evil will come upon him.
Metzudat Zion
'Shall abide' — an expression of permanence, as in 'righteousness lodged in it' (Isaiah 1). 'Shall be visited' — an expression of remembrance and providence.
Malbim
"The fear of Hashem tends to life; and he who has it shall abide satisfied, he shall not be visited with evil" — There is a difference between the fear of Hashem and every other fear. One who fears the mere occurrences of the world — this fear shortens life; the fear prevents eating and sleep. But the fear of Hashem "tends to life," and one "shall abide satisfied" — he eats to satisfaction and also sleeps, for this fear removes from him every other fear, since one who fears Hashem is confident that he "shall not be visited with evil," and no evil shall touch him. Therefore he is secure and has no fear of anything, and therefore the fear of Hashem adds days, as [explained] above.
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, And will not so much as bring it back to his mouth.
verse value 1422
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. Verse gematria: 1422 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "even·to·his·mouth" (גַּם־אֶל־פִּ֝֗יהוּ, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "even·to·his·mouth" (גַּם־אֶל־פִּ֝֗יהוּ), "will·bring·it·back" (יְשִׁיבֶֽנָּה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 61x in Proverbs); "even·to·his·mouth" (root פה, 34x in Proverbs); "his·hand" (root יד, 24x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·dish', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: טָ֘מַ֤ן [buries] (99) + עָצֵ֣ל [the·sluggard] (190) + יָ֭דוֹ [his·hand] (20) + בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת [in·the·dish] (530) + גַּם־אֶל־פִּ֝֗יהוּ [even·to·his·mouth] (175) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יְשִׁיבֶֽנָּה [will·bring·it·back] (377) = 1422.
Rashi
A lazy man hid his hand in a kettle Heb. בצלחת, in a hot kettle, in which, when removed from the fire and emptied, one may warm his hand. Similar to it in Chronicles (II 35:13): “they cooked in pots, in cauldrons, and in kettles (בצלחות),” In the name of Rabbi Isaac HaLevi I heard that בצלחת is derived from the expression of the Aramaic translation of ויבקע “and he split,” which is וצלח. At the time of the cold and the frost, since the cold and the frost crack and split the hands. [Hence, we render: A lazy man hid his hand in winter.] But I heard that is a rend of a cloak called fenditura [in Italian, in German Riss, Spalt, Schlitz], i.e., he hides it in his bosom.
Ibn Ezra
"In the dish" — like a new flask; and the meaning is as if his hand is buried in the dish. "Will not bring it back" — for he will find nothing to eat; therefore a person must seek his sustenance and not be lazy.
Ralbag
"The sluggard buries [his hand]" — The sluggard is as though he has buried his hand in a dish, in a small vessel from which it is difficult to remove it. And so you will find the matter to be with him: because of his laziness his hands will be as though bound, and he will do no labor at all. And even though he lacks food, and therefore needs, on this account, to earn through labor enough to attain sufficient sustenance for himself, nevertheless, despite all this, he will not enable his hand to perform any labor by which he might live. And this is the meaning of his saying, 'he will not so much as bring it back to his mouth.'
Metzudat David
"The sluggard buries" — behold, the sluggard is lazy in his work, and all day he occupies himself with eating, and his hands are buried in the dish to scrape up the food that clings to it; and behold, his end is that he will not even bring his hand back to his mouth, for he will find nothing to eat and bring back to his mouth.
Metzudat Zion
'In the dish' — the name of a cooking vessel, as in 'and in pots, and in pans' (II Chronicles 35:13).
Malbim
"The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, and will not so much as bring it back to his mouth" — He is depicting what he said [elsewhere]: "the desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor" — the hand of the sluggard refuses to move. And if the desire born of hunger compels him and sends his hand to the dish to take food, he buries it there in order to be safe from whatever would compel it to move again, and he is afraid to budge it from there; so it remains there, and he will not bring it back even to his mouth — he goes hungry rather than move his hand.
When you smite a scorner, the simple will become prudent; And when one who has understanding is reproved, he will understand knowledge.
verse value 2100
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. Verse gematria: 2100 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "a·scorner" (לֵ֣ץ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·reprove" (וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "you·smite" (תַּ֭כֶּה), "and·the·simple" (וּפֶ֣תִי), "will·become·prudent" (יַעְרִ֑ם). The root בין appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·discerning" (root בין, 46x in Proverbs); "knowledge" (root דעת, 29x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·become·prudent', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: לֵ֣ץ [a·scorner] (120) + תַּ֭כֶּה [you·smite] (425) + וּפֶ֣תִי [and·the·simple] (496) + יַעְרִ֑ם [will·become·prudent] (320) + וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ [and·reprove] (55) + לְ֝נָב֗וֹן [to·the·discerning] (138) + יָבִ֥ין [he·will·understand] (72) + דָּֽעַת [knowledge] (474) = 2100.
Rashi
Beat a scorner, and a simple man will gain cunning Through the plagues visited upon Pharaoh and the war with Amalek, Jethro gained cunning and converted.
Ibn Ezra
"Scorner ... will become prudent" — he will learn shrewdness.
Ralbag
"Smite a scorner" — If you smite a scorner in order to give him discipline, the simple person who sees this will become shrewd through it, and will devise for himself a stratagem to escape the fate for which the scorner was struck, and so will take discipline from the striking of another. But as for the person of understanding — if you reprove him with words alone, he will understand knowledge, for his heart is turned toward perfection.
Metzudat David
"Smite the scorner" — when you strike the scorner concerning wisdom, even though it will not benefit him, behold, the simple person who lacks understanding will become wise on account of this; but as for the one who already has understanding, even mere words of wisdom will benefit him, and he will understand knowledge beyond what he already possesses.
Metzudat Zion
'Will become prudent' — from the language of 'ormah' (shrewdness).
Malbim
(25-26-27) "Smite a scorner..."; "He who despoils his father..."; "Cease, my son..." — Behold, the simple person will not turn to understanding through the rebuke of reason alone, but only through discipline and blows. If he sees that the scorner is struck, he acquires from this the cunning to understand, so that he will not walk in the way of the scorner. But the person of understanding does not need to be shown the rebuke [meant] for the scorner, for through the rebuke of reason he understands knowledge — for it will be shown to him, saying: Behold, a son who shames and disgraces his father and mother by his deeds, who despoils his father and drives away his mother — this alone is sufficient rebuke for the person of understanding, that he not do such a thing to his own parents. And you, my understanding son, may cease [needing] to hear [such harsh] discipline, so that you need not hear the scorner's rebuke on account of straying from the words of knowledge. For when you set upon your heart the words of knowledge — which are made clear through observation, [seeing] how a son shames and despoils his parents — you will already have taken this to heart, and will turn back from such deeds.
A son who deals shamefully and reproachfully Will despoil his father, and chase away his mother.
verse value 1370
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "mother" (אֵ֑ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "despoiler·of·father" (מְֽשַׁדֶּד־אָ֭ב, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "despoiler·of·father" (מְֽשַׁדֶּד־אָ֭ב), "chases·away" (יַבְרִ֣יחַ), "and·causing·disgrace" (וּמַחְפִּֽיר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "a·son" (root בן, 51x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'mother', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מְֽשַׁדֶּד־אָ֭ב [despoiler·of·father] (351) + יַבְרִ֣יחַ [chases·away] (230) + אֵ֑ם [mother] (41) + בֵּ֝֗ן [a·son] (52) + מֵבִ֥ישׁ [causing·shame] (352) + וּמַחְפִּֽיר [and·causing·disgrace] (344) = 1370.
Rashi
A son who causes shame and disgrace robs his father, puts his mother to flight Heb. יבריח, puts his mother to flight. A son who causes shame and disgrace Whose ways are disgraceful. Since Sarah saw the son of the Egyptian maidservant making sport with idolatry and adultery, he caused his mother to be sent away, “and the matter displeased Abraham” (Gen. 21:11).
Ibn Ezra
"Despoils" — is a verb, and so is "chases away." Explanation: "a son who deals shamefully" commands the plundering of his father, and he is the cause of his mother's flight. "Deals shamefully" — gives shame to his father.
Ralbag
"Despoils his father" — Behold, the son who shames and disgraces his parents through his evil ways and his pursuit of desires is the cause that robbers will rob his father, so that he may share in the plunder with them; or perhaps he borrows from them, and they come to collect payment from the father [because of him]. For this very same reason he will also drive away his mother. Therefore it is fitting for the father and mother to discipline him in his childhood, so that this loss will not come upon them because of him. And after he warned the son to heed instruction (musar), he returns to warn him not to spend all his days in this practical (political/ethical) philosophy, for it is enough for him that it set him straight toward the taking on of discipline (musar), which is a preparation for the acquisition of wisdom.
Metzudat David
"Despoils his father, etc." — the son who shames and humiliates his father's face causes his father to divorce his mother, for having led him [the son] in this way; and against his will he must squander his property to pay her marriage-settlement (ketubah); thus that son robs his father of the money of the ketubah and drives his mother away from him.
Metzudat Zion
'Will despoil' — from the language of 'shedidah' (plunder) and robbery. 'And reproachfully' — an expression of shame.
Cease, my son, to hear the instruction That causes to err from the words of knowledge.
verse value 2354
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "to·hear" (לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ, 4 letters) and the longest is "from·the·words·of·knowledge" (מֵאִמְרֵי־דָֽעַת, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "cease·my·son" (חֲֽדַל־בְּ֭נִי), "to·hear" (לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ), "to·go·astray" (לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·the·words·of·knowledge" (root אמר, 45x in Proverbs); "to·hear" (root שמע, 30x in Proverbs); "the·instruction" (root מוסר, 30x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·instruction', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: חֲֽדַל־בְּ֭נִי [cease·my·son] (104) + לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ [to·hear] (440) + מוּסָ֑ר [the·instruction] (306) + לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת [to·go·astray] (739) + מֵאִמְרֵי־דָֽעַת [from·the·words·of·knowledge] (765) = 2354.
Rashi
My son, cease to stray, etc. This is an elliptical verse, and this is its explanation: My son, cease to stray from words of knowledge in order to hear discipline. cease to stray Heb. לשגות, like מלשגות, from straying. Likewise, (Num. 9:13): “and refrains (וחדל) from performing (לעשות) the Passover service.” Also, (Gen. 41:49): “they stopped counting (לספר).”
Ibn Ezra
"Cease, my son" — from straying from the words of knowledge, and hear instruction. Another interpretation: this verse's beginning connects with its end, and it is thus [to be read]: "Cease, my son, from the words of knowledge, if you are willing to hear instruction" — and afterward, "to stray."
Ralbag
"Cease, my son" — He says: refrain, my son, from listening to the wisdom of discipline (musar) at all times, in such a way that you would become more engrossed in it than in the words of knowledge (da'at). For it is not fitting for a person to waste his time on its investigations, as we explained in Parashat Bereishit. Rather, it is fitting that you be constantly engrossed in the love of the words of knowledge, once you have derived from discipline (musar) something fitting and sufficient to serve as a preparation for the acquisition of wisdom.
Metzudat David
"Cease, my son, etc." — sometimes there arises a person who incites [others] to stray from the words of knowledge by means of false proofs, and he opens his words with intelligent moral instruction so that people will believe him, until he then turns to drive them away from the words of knowledge. So he [Solomon] said: cease, my son, from listening to the instruction of one who comes to incite you to stray from the words of knowledge, and do not say, "we will accept the good and not accept the bad," for you will be caught in his enticement.
Metzudat Zion
'To err' — from the language of 'shegagah' (inadvertent error) and 'mishgeh' (mistake).
An ungodly witness mocks at right; And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
verse value 1670
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "a·witness·of" (עֵ֣ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "swallows·iniquity" (יְבַלַּע־אָֽוֶן, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "swallows·iniquity" (יְבַלַּע־אָֽוֶן). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "and·the·mouth·of" (root פה, 34x in Proverbs); "judgment" (root משפט, 20x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'judgment', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: עֵ֣ד [a·witness·of] (74) + בְּ֭לִיַּעַל [worthlessness] (142) + יָלִ֣יץ [mocks] (140) + מִשְׁפָּ֑ט [judgment] (429) + וּפִ֥י [and·the·mouth·of] (96) + רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים [wicked] (620) + יְבַלַּע־אָֽוֶן [swallows·iniquity] (169) = 1670.
Rashi
A godless witness testifies judgment He testifies against a man [with] the rhetoric of the judgments of tortures and death. but violence will devour the mouth of the wicked The violence will swallow him up.
Ibn Ezra
"Mocks" — he speaks such that his testimony [passes for] judgment and righteousness, [related] to [the word] "the interpreter" (Genesis 42:23); or, he speaks mockery about justice. "Devours" — as in "as one swallows the holy things" (Numbers 4:20).
Ralbag
"An ungodly witness" — Behold, the worthless witness (ed beliya'al) who testifies falsely against his brother expresses with his mouth his evil intent, for the purpose that the judgment should come out of the judge's mouth as he had planned; and he needs to do this because he is doing the evil deed through someone else [i.e., through the judge's ruling]. And indeed, "the mouth of the wicked swallows" and conceals the iniquity (aven) that is in their thoughts, so that their intention will not become known to anyone, and this is the cause that enables them to achieve their intention, with people not being on guard against them. Or he may mean by this: "an ungodly witness" is one who testifies falsely in straightforward reports, [used] toward the attainment of theoretical matters, and "the wicked" are those who hold false views regarding the fundamentals of the theoretical and Torah-related subjects; and the intent would be that the ungodly witness mocks judgment through what he reports, even if he himself is not aware of it, for it is from him that the wise man determines the matter of the judgment, and so this witness becomes the cause of his error. And in general, the very pursuit of [reaching] the [correct] judgment is the cause that leads him to say these things, for it can happen that a person errs in testimony for various reasons, as we explained in the fifth [book] of Milchamot Hashem (Wars of Hashem). And indeed, you sometimes find that a person will state things in his testimony in order to reinforce the view that appears correct to him from his own investigations — just as you find this with Galen (Galienus), who disputed with "the Philosopher" [Aristotle] regarding his position that the heart alone is the living organ. Hence it is clear that the judgment which appears correct to a person is the cause that leads him to state such testimony; but the iniquity (aven) and falsehood that the wicked hold at their first principles is the cause that their words become corrupted and swallowed up in what follows from those first principles.
Metzudat David
"Mocks at justice" — in judgment he refines his words with the best rhetoric so that they will be accepted by the heart and people will believe him. "Swallows iniquity" — he speaks the words of iniquity by swallowing them, so that people will not sense that the very intent is this matter of iniquity, for they will think that he speaks in his innocence.
Metzudat Zion
'Mocks' — from the language of 'melitzah' (mocking, scoffing speech).
Malbim
(28-29) "A worthless witness scoffs at justice, and judgments are prepared for scoffers" — if you see how a worthless witness who testifies falsely mocks at justice, for through him a judgment is issued to put a person to death unlawfully, as in the deed of Naboth the Jezreelite, and "the mouth of the wicked" — the judges — conceals the iniquity, know that there is judgment and reckoning: for the scoffers — the witnesses — punishments are prepared, and for the back of the fools — the wicked — blows are prepared. The false witnesses will be judged to have done to them as they had schemed [to do to their victim], and the judges will be punished with blows from Heaven.
Judgments are prepared for scorners, And stripes for the back of fools.
verse value 1507
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "for·the·back·of" (לְגֵ֣ו, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·strokes" (וּ֝מַהֲלֻמ֗וֹת, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "are·prepared" (נָכ֣וֹנוּ), "for·the·scorners" (לַלֵּצִ֣ים), "judgments" (שְׁפָטִ֑ים). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "fools" (root כסיל, 49x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'judgments', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: נָכ֣וֹנוּ [are·prepared] (132) + לַלֵּצִ֣ים [for·the·scorners] (200) + שְׁפָטִ֑ים [judgments] (439) + וּ֝מַהֲלֻמ֗וֹת [and·strokes] (527) + לְגֵ֣ו [for·the·back·of] (39) + כְּסִילִֽים [fools] (170) = 1507.
Rashi
are prepared for the scorners The Holy One, blessed be He, prepared punishments of zaraath for this scorner who slanders.
Ibn Ezra
"Judgments are prepared for scorners" — from Hashem; that is, Hashem will judge them because they mocked justice. And blows are also prepared, for fools are struck by man, similar to "and a rod for the back of fools" (Proverbs 26:3).
Ralbag
"Judgments are prepared for scorners" — Because, on account of their mocking people, they will be found [deserving] that great judgments be imposed upon them; and "for the body of fools, blows are prepared," for through their folly they do shameful things against people. And it is possible that by "scorners" here he is alluding to the ungodly witness who mocks through false reports that lead the wise into error regarding matters of theoretical judgment; and therefore he says that "judgments are prepared for them," for they do great evil even if the witness himself is not aware of it. Therefore a person must be careful regarding such reports, to state only the truth, and to see to it that the substance of his report is free of misleading elements and comparisons. For sometimes, when it is cloudy, a star will appear farther from another star than the true distance between them; and one who takes testimony from that time will lead into error the investigators of this discipline [astronomy] who rely on his observations. Now, he called them "fools" — the holders of corrupt views — because folly, which is an acquired [trait], accompanies them; and just as their folly at their first principles breaks and corrupts what comes after it, so too it is fitting that their body be broken, since their excessive inclination toward bodily things was the cause of their erring in theoretical matters, because they did not pursue investigation of it thoroughly, on account of their preoccupation with bodily matters.
Metzudat David
"Judgments" — judgments of suffering [i.e., punishments]. "And stripes" — crushing blows are prepared for the body of fools.
Ibn Ezra
Ralbag
Metzudat David
Malbim