Trust in Hashem with all your heart, and lean not upon your own understanding. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; Hashem's discipline is a father's love, and the blessing of the upright reaches to generosity toward one's neighbor.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
My son, forget not my teaching; But let your heart keep my commandments;
verse value 2741
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "my·son" (בְּ֭נִי, 3 letters) and the longest is "do·not·forget" (אַל־תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "let·keep" (יִצֹּ֥ר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "your·heart" (root לב, 57x in Proverbs); "my·son" (root בן, 51x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'do·not·forget', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּ֭נִי [my·son] (62) + תּוֹרָתִ֣י [my·teaching] (1016) + אַל־תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח [do·not·forget] (759) + וּ֝מִצְוֺתַ֗י [and·my·commandments] (552) + יִצֹּ֥ר [let·keep] (300) + לִבֶּֽךָ [your·heart] (52) = 2741.
Ibn Ezra
"My son ... they will add to you" — [referring to] the Torah and the commandment.
Metzudat David
"My son" — Hashem speaks as if to say: You, Israel, are as dear to Me as a son is to a father; behold, I warn you: do not forget My teaching.
Malbim
"My son, forget not my teaching (torati)" — Torah includes all the teachings within the Torah, such as the laws and statutes that one must learn even if one does not perform them — such as the commandments concerning the priests, the sacrifices, and the like — and likewise the narratives of the Torah, from which we derive the foundations of faith regarding [divine] providence, prophecy, and reward and punishment. He warns [his son] not to forget it, but rather to meditate on it day and night, until he remembers all of it. "And let your heart keep my commandments" — the commandments must be performed in practice, or observed through the prohibitions, and most of them oppose the desire of the heart; therefore he says "let your heart keep" — for the heart is the governing faculty within the soul, which should rule over the faculties of the soul so that their actions are directed according to the commandments of Hashem.
For length of days, and years of life, And peace, will they add to you.
verse value 1785
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "will·add" (יוֹסִ֥יפוּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·peace" (וְ֝שָׁל֗וֹם), "will·add" (יוֹסִ֥יפוּ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 51x in Proverbs); "days" (root יום, 32x in Proverbs); "life" (root חי, 32x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root ארך ("length·of") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root יום ("days") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'life', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + אֹ֣רֶךְ [length·of] (221) + יָ֭מִים [days] (100) + וּשְׁנ֣וֹת [and·years·of] (762) + חַיִּ֑ים [life] (68) + וְ֝שָׁל֗וֹם [and·peace] (382) + יוֹסִ֥יפוּ [will·add] (172) + לָֽךְ [to·you] (50) = 1785.
Rashi
they shall add length of days...and peace The Torah and the commandments.
Ralbag
"For length" — They will add to you length of days and years of life, beyond the terminus allotted to you according to the arrangement of the stars; and by this they will add to you peace and good beyond the good and peace ordained for you by the stars, according to the power that Hashem gave them on the day they were created. For divine providence attaches to a person when he becomes wise in the wisdom of the Torah, and because of this the harm decreed for him by the stars will be removed from him, and good will be added beyond the good ordained for him by them.
Metzudat David
"And years of life" — That is, peace, quiet, and tranquility. "And peace ... will they add to you" — The Torah and the commandments are what will add these to you, for they will plead merit on your behalf.
Malbim
"For length of days and years of life" — When [two] synonymous terms occur [together], "length of days" denotes the days of good, meaning that then his days are long, filled with good, while "years of life" denotes that his years of life will increase — meaning that in the merit of Torah and mitzvot, years will be added to him, and he will have "length of days," that is, days of goodness, and they will also be "years of peace" — peace in his body, his money, his household, and in all that is his.
Let not kindness and truth forsake you; Bind them about your neck, write them upon the table of your heart;
verse value 2899
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. Verse gematria: 2899 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "kindness" (חֶ֥סֶד, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·your·neck" (עַל־גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ, 10 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "let·them·not·forsake·you" (אַֽל־יַ֫עַזְבֻ֥ךָ), "upon·your·neck" (עַל־גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "your·heart" (root לב, 57x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root חסד ("kindness") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root אמת ("and·truth") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·your·neck', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: חֶ֥סֶד [kindness] (72) + וֶאֱמֶ֗ת [and·truth] (447) + אַֽל־יַ֫עַזְבֻ֥ךָ [let·them·not·forsake·you] (140) + קׇשְׁרֵ֥ם [bind·them] (640) + עַל־גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ [upon·your·neck] (942) + כׇּ֝תְבֵ֗ם [write·them] (462) + עַל־ל֥וּחַ [upon·the·table·of] (144) + לִבֶּֽךָ [your·heart] (52) = 2899.
Ibn Ezra
"Bind them, write them" — [refers] to the Torah and the commandment, for Hashem will send His kindness and truth to the one in need, and will not forsake you; therefore, "bind them, etc.," meaning that you should not forget them. Another interpretation: you yourself should act so that kindness and truth do not forsake you — "bind them, etc." And [the form] "and find" (ומצא, 3:4) carries the meaning of "you will find" (ותמצא).
Ralbag
"Kindness and truth" — May He who is the Master of kindness and truth not forsake you, but be with you continually, so that His eyes may always watch over you; and therefore I command you to bind the commandments upon your throat, to speak of them continually, so that you understand their meaning and it remains continually depicted in your heart. "Kindness and truth" — Kindness is the subject, and the desire concerning it belongs to the Master of kindness and truth.
Metzudat David
"Let not ... forsake you" — Do not be forsaken by them, but hold fast to them. "Bind them" — That is, at all times you shall speak of them and think about their matters.
Metzudat Zion
"Tablet" — a board/plank, and this is used here as a figure of speech and metaphor.
Malbim
"Let not kindness and truth forsake you" — Most of the words of the Torah are included under kindness and truth: the commandments, most of which, deal with kindness between a person and his fellow, while the beliefs and opinions are included under the attribute of truth, namely, that one believe in the true things made known through the Torah. Neither of these two should forsake you: that you attain truth in beliefs and opinions through the Torah, and perform kindness through the commandments. There is also a "Torah of truth" and a "Torah of kindness": the commandments and conduct performed out of strict obligation, as well as the simple inquiries grasped by everyone, are called by the name "Torah of truth"; while the wondrous deeds performed by the pious (chasidim) and the elevated ones (bnei aliyah) out of piety, and likewise the wondrous attainments reached by those possessed of the holy spirit (ruach hakodesh) in matters of divinity, the Account of Creation (Ma'aseh Bereishit), and the Account of the Chariot (Ma'aseh Merkavah) — these are called by the name "Torah of kindness." Neither of these two should forsake you. And according to how a person conducts himself in kindness and truth, so will Hashem conduct Himself with him in these same measures, measure for measure. "Bind them about your neck [garg'rotekha]" — that is, the speech that issues from the throat [garon]: he should speak of them constantly, until they become habitual upon his tongue. And also, "write them upon the tablet of your heart" — for the heart is the ruling faculty within a person, and it is constantly surrounded by nets and snares spread over it by the desires of lust and the evil imaginings that arise in his spirit, which oppose the laws of wisdom, until wisdom becomes foreign to him. One must therefore engrave the laws of wisdom upon the tablet of the heart, as though they were written in an inscription that can never be erased. And he should read from this inscription all the days of his life, so that he may learn to keep the evil imaginings and the impulses of his deeds at a distance.
So you shall find grace and good favor In the sight of God and man.
verse value 847
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֣ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "and·man" (וְאָדָֽם, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·good·favor" (וְשֵֽׂכֶל־ט֑וֹב, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·find·grace" (וּמְצָא־חֵ֥ן), "and·good·favor" (וְשֵֽׂכֶל־ט֑וֹב). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·man" (root אדם, 44x in Proverbs); "in·the·eyes·of" (root עין, 43x in Proverbs); "and·find·grace" (root מצא, 28x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root אדם ("and·man") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·good·favor', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: וּמְצָא־חֵ֥ן [and·find·grace] (195) + וְשֵֽׂכֶל־ט֑וֹב [and·good·favor] (373) + בְּעֵינֵ֖י [in·the·eyes·of] (142) + אֱלֹהִ֣ים [God] (86) + וְאָדָֽם [and·man] (51) = 847.
Ralbag
"So you shall find grace and good favor" — Now, if you conduct your deeds according to the laws of the Torah, you will come to find favor in the eyes of God and man, for they comprise the perfection of character traits by which a person finds favor in the eyes of people; and if you grasp, as far as possible, the wisdom contained in these commandments, then you will find good understanding in the eyes of God and man in all that you desire.
Metzudat David
"So you shall find grace" — And by this you will find favor and be known as understanding, with good sense, in the eyes of etc. [God and man].
Malbim
"So you shall find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and man" — meaning: although through human wisdom and understanding one can also find favor and understanding — for concerning people of understanding it is said that they have "found understanding" (sechel), and likewise they find favor in the eyes of people through their wisdom — nevertheless, through the Torah and divine wisdom, one finds favor even in the eyes of God, and also finds "good understanding" (sechel tov). This is the pouring out of the spirit of God upon him, granting him understanding through "good understanding" — a term denoting his enlightenment through the holy spirit (ruach hakodesh), until he grasps the truths with the help of God. And this comes about through finding favor in the eyes of Hashem, who grants him understanding of His truth.
Trust in Hashem with all your heart, And lean not upon your own understanding.
verse value 1550
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 29 letters. Verse gematria: 1550 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "trust" (בְּטַ֣ח, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·upon·your·understanding" (וְאֶל־בִּ֥֝ינָתְךָ֗, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "in·all·your·heart" (בְּכׇל־לִבֶּ֑ךָ), "and·upon·your·understanding" (וְאֶל־בִּ֥֝ינָתְךָ֗), "do·not·lean" (אַל־תִּשָּׁעֵֽן). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "in·all·your·heart" (root לב, 57x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root בטח ("trust") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·all·your·heart', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: בְּטַ֣ח [trust] (19) + אֶל־יְ֭הֹוָה [in·Hashem] (57) + בְּכׇל־לִבֶּ֑ךָ [in·all·your·heart] (104) + וְאֶל־בִּ֥֝ינָתְךָ֗ [and·upon·your·understanding] (519) + אַל־תִּשָּׁעֵֽן [do·not·lean] (851) = 1550.
Rashi
Trust in the Lord and squander your money to seek for yourself a teacher from whom to learn, and do not rely on your understanding.
Ibn Ezra
"Trust in Hashem" — [here] אל is like על ("upon"), and the meaning is: if you have learned understanding, do not rely upon it, saying, "it will protect me"; rather, trust in Hashem.
Ralbag
"Trust in Hashem with all your heart" — Set your aim, in your understanding, upon Hashem, blessed be He, and do not rely upon your own understanding, thinking that whatever you wish to do out of your own wisdom will succeed, saying, "I have already deliberated and arranged my affairs wisely, in a manner by which I will attain what I seek without doubt" — for then the help that would come to you from Hashem in this matter will be withdrawn from you, if you relied upon your own understanding. For it is the will of Hashem that those under His providence recognize what good flows to them by virtue of His providence; and whoever relies upon his own understanding will think that he has no need of divine help in this. In all your ways and deeds, strive to know Hashem, blessed be He — and the illustration is: when you eat, know Hashem in your food, by contemplating the greatness of His wisdom in creating this food, and in placing within it a living power to convert it into the very substance of the one nourished; and when you engage in intercourse, contemplate the wondrous power that Hashem, blessed be He, placed in the seed, to fashion so wondrous a creation. And in this way you will continually attach yourself to Hashem, blessed be He, even while performing bodily acts; and this will be the cause that Hashem will straighten your paths, by virtue of His providence attaching to you.
Metzudat David
"Lean not" — Do not think, 'Surely I shall succeed, since the matter was done with understanding,' for everything is in the hand of Hashem, and not in the hand of human understanding.
Malbim
"Trust in Hashem with all your heart" — because the laws of wisdom are beyond human understanding, and a person cannot attain them by the power of his own understanding. And if he relies on his own understanding, it will lead him astray, to the opposite of the ways of wisdom. Therefore it says, "and lean not upon your own understanding" — for wisdom is not attained by a person through his own understanding, but is rather given by God. One must trust in Hashem with all his heart and walk according to the commandments of Hashem, who commanded the laws of the Torah and wisdom and its precepts, and not rely on his own understanding at all.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will direct your paths.
verse value 1568
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "and·He" (וְ֝ה֗וּא) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "know·Him" (דָעֵ֑הוּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·all·your·ways" (בְּכׇל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "in·all·your·ways" (בְּכׇל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ), "know·Him" (דָעֵ֑הוּ), "will·direct" (יְיַשֵּׁ֥ר). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·all·your·ways" (root דרך, 74x in Proverbs); "know·Him" (root ידע, 35x in Proverbs); "will·direct" (root ישר, 35x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root הוא ("and·He") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'know·Him', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּכׇל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ [in·all·your·ways] (306) + דָעֵ֑הוּ [know·Him] (85) + וְ֝ה֗וּא [and·He] (18) + יְיַשֵּׁ֥ר [will·direct] (520) + אֹֽרְחֹתֶֽיךָ [your·paths] (639) = 1568.
Ibn Ezra
"In all your ways" — your affairs/undertakings; and "through your wisdom, acknowledge Him" — [the form דעהו] follows the pattern of "sa'ehu" (שאהו, "carry it").
Metzudat David
"In all your ways" — In all your affairs, know Hashem; that is, set your mind to plan your deeds so that some benefit will come of the matter, in order to fulfill the word of Hashem; and then He will lead you on a straight path, and you shall succeed in it.
Malbim
"In all your ways know Him" — the "ways" (derakhim) are the major, general paths, while the "paths" (orchot) are the smaller ones that branch out from the major ways. And since the paths of wisdom are without end — for wisdom extends to all the particulars, which are exceedingly numerous — it is impossible to know all the particulars that come before a person, namely, how he should conduct himself regarding them according to the way of the Torah and wisdom. He answers: you shall know Hashem in all your general ways — such as the way of mercy, the way of generosity, the way of humility — and walk in it according to the command of Hashem; for all this rests on what is stated, "and you shall walk in His ways" (Deuteronomy 28:9) — "just as He is merciful," etc. — "and He will make your paths straight" — meaning that through divine assistance, your particular paths, too, will be made straight. For example, in the particulars of the acts of generosity: knowing how much to give, to whom to give, when, and how, and so on.
Be not wise in your own eyes; Fear Hashem, and depart from evil;
verse value 1896
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "wise" (חָכָ֣ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·your·eyes" (בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "in·your·eyes" (בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ), "and·turn·aside" (וְס֣וּר). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wise" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "from·evil" (root רע, 69x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root סור ("and·turn·aside") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·your·eyes', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: אַל־תְּהִ֣י [do·not·be] (446) + חָכָ֣ם [wise] (68) + בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ [in·your·eyes] (162) + יְרָ֥א [fear] (211) + אֶת־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (427) + וְס֣וּר [and·turn·aside] (272) + מֵרָֽע [from·evil] (310) = 1896.
Rashi
Do not be wise in your own sight to despise the word of the one who reproves you.
Ibn Ezra
"Be not wise in your own eyes" — that you should say, "By my own wisdom I will make my path straight." And "depart from evil" — from doing evil; and then Hashem will heal you from every illness.
Ralbag
"Be not wise in your own eyes" — and consequently grow lax about further inquiry into matters of wisdom, for this would deprive you of much of the perfection you could otherwise acquire. Rather, always consider yourself lacking in wisdom, and because of this be a perpetual investigator of it, adding ever more perfection to your perfection. "Fear Hashem" — always, from transgressing His commandments; "and depart from evil" — in character traits, and likewise in intellectual inquiry, by virtue of your fearing Hashem — this will prevent you from erring in the attainment of wisdom. For if you establish as the root and foundation that Hashem exists — in the manner that the Torah directs one to affirm — and that He watches over the individual members of mankind, taking account of all their deeds, as has been demonstrated in the Torah, then error will depart from you regarding many of the great foundations of divine wisdom.
Metzudat David
"Be not wise in your own eyes" — To be lenient about making a fence and a safeguard around what is forbidden, thinking, 'One as wise as I have no need of a fence'; rather, fear Hashem, lest, for all your wisdom, you stumble. "And depart from evil" — Keep far away, and make a fence.
Malbim
"Be not wise in your own eyes" — there are, however, people who are wise in their own eyes: since the laws of wisdom are not known through demonstrable proof, and they run counter to the natural inclination of the heart, such a person imagines that the path he chooses for himself is the path of wisdom, and that everything he does is wisdom — this being the very definition of one who is "wise in his own eyes." He disputes the true laws of wisdom received from Hashem, which oppose the desires of his heart, his own opinion, and the impulses of his deeds. Rather, "fear Hashem" — for it is He who set the bounds of the laws of wisdom according to His supreme wisdom — "and depart from evil" — for through the fear of Hashem you will depart from evil and walk in the ways of wisdom, as it is written, "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Hashem" (Psalms 111:10), and as stated further there — that through the fear of Hashem one submits to the laws of wisdom which Hashem commanded concerning them, and does not rely on his own opinion and wisdom.
It shall be health to your navel, And marrow to your bones.
verse value 2740
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "shall·be" (תְּהִ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·your·bones" (לְעַצְמוֹתֶֽיךָ, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "health" (רִ֭פְאוּת), "shall·be" (תְּהִ֣י), "to·your·navel" (לְשׇׁרֶּ֑ךָ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "shall·be" (root היה, 27x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root שר ("to·your·navel") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root עצם ("to·your·bones") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·your·navel', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: רִ֭פְאוּת [health] (687) + תְּהִ֣י [shall·be] (415) + לְשׇׁרֶּ֑ךָ [to·your·navel] (550) + וְ֝שִׁקּ֗וּי [and·drink] (422) + לְעַצְמוֹתֶֽיךָ [to·your·bones] (666) = 2740.
Rashi
It shall be healing for your navel Heb. לשרך. The wisdom shall be healing. שרך is like (Song 7:4): שררך, which means, your navel. and marrow for your bones Heb. ושקוי, lit. moisture. That is the marrow, as the matter is stated (Job 21:24): “and the marrow of his bones is moistened.”
Ibn Ezra
"To your navel" — he mentioned it because it is the foundation of the sinews, and through it the blood enters them (the limbs) in the mother's womb. And the meaning [of the term for health] is strength, as in "firm and enduring" (שריר וקיים).
Ralbag
"It shall be health to your navel" — Behold, the Torah is a remedy for you from the sickness of character traits and beliefs, at the time when you have begun to walk toward perfection and have begun to take in the nourishment of theoretical apprehensions. The parable here is to what a fetus takes from nourishment while it is in its mother's womb, which it takes by way of the navel [umbilical cord]. Also, after you have attained perfection in wisdom, it [the Torah] is a drink for your bones, to fill them with marrow. And he said this so that you should not think that after you have attained perfection in wisdom you will no longer need the Torah — since the fruit of the Torah is to establish a person in the perfection that comes from theoretical apprehensions, for in truth you will always need to inquire into it and to walk in its commandments, since it continually adds further perfection to you, and your abandoning it will be a cause of removing perfection from you and of its being lost, just as the bones will always need the marrow within them, to be nourished from it — even though their formation has already been completed in some measure, yet when the marrow departs from them their nourishment will be cut off from them and they will decay. And it is possible that for this same reason he also said, "Be not wise in your own eyes; fear Hashem and turn away from evil" (Proverbs 3:7) — meaning, do not think, "I have already attained wisdom and no longer need the Torah that directs one toward it," for certainly you need it always; and therefore it is fitting that you fear Hashem so as to keep His commandments, and by this you will continually turn away from evil in your beliefs. "It shall be health to your navel" — [The word] shorekh means the navel.
Metzudat David
"Health" — That is, the fence will not harm [you]; rather it will benefit [you], and it shall be 'health,' etc. — meaning it will strengthen you in the observance of the commandments.
Metzudat Zion
"Your navel" — this is the navel, as in "your navel is like a round bowl" (Song of Songs 7:3). "And marrow" — meaning the marrow that nourishes the bones.
Malbim
"It shall be health" — although the laws of wisdom run counter to your [physical] nature, do not think that by walking in the ways of wisdom your body will become sick. For the laws of wisdom and its commandments warn against many foods, and command one to sanctify oneself and abstain from excess of food. Therefore it says, on the contrary, "it shall be health to your navel [shererekha]" — meaning that the navel, which receives drink and food, will not merely fail to become sick from this; rather, the Torah's warning and abstention from the forbidden food will be a remedy for its ailment. Likewise, do not think that through the various forms of abstinence prescribed by the Torah, from pleasure and desire, the marrow of your bones will dry up; on the contrary, they will serve as a potion for your bones. For the laws of wisdom strengthen the health of the body, and your bones will be invigorated — both by nature, since most excesses weaken the body, and through the providence of Hashem.
Honor Hashem with your substance, And with the first-fruits of all your increase;
verse value 2410
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "honor" (כַּבֵּ֣ד) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "honor" (כַּבֵּ֣ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·your·produce" (כׇּל־תְּבוּאָתֶֽךָ, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "from·your·abundance" (מֵהוֹנֶ֑ךָ), "and·from·the·first·of" (וּ֝מֵרֵאשִׁ֗ית), "all·your·produce" (כׇּל־תְּבוּאָתֶֽךָ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root כבד ("honor") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root הון ("from·your·abundance") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·your·abundance', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: כַּבֵּ֣ד [honor] (26) + אֶת־יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (427) + מֵהוֹנֶ֑ךָ [from·your·abundance] (121) + וּ֝מֵרֵאשִׁ֗ית [and·from·the·first·of] (957) + כׇּל־תְּבוּאָתֶֽךָ [all·your·produce] (879) = 2410.
Rashi
from your substance From whatever He favored you [with], even from a pleasant voice. (Do not read: from your substance [מהונך] but: from your throat [מגרונך].) and from the first (These are the terumoth and the tithes.)
Ralbag
"Honor Hashem with your substance" — Just as the Torah commanded you, from the first of all the produce of your seed and your fruits, to give the gifts due to the priests and the Levites. For in this there is a wondrous benefit: to direct [a person] toward [the recognition] that all good things flow from Hashem (may He be blessed). And furthermore, there is in this a benefit of directing Israel toward the attainment of wisdom and perfection, for this will be a cause for the perfection of this tribe [the Levites] in theoretical study and in the wisdom of the Torah, and they will teach this to the people, as it says, "They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, and Your law to Israel" (Deuteronomy 33:10), and it says, "For the lips of the priest should keep knowledge" (Malachi 2:7). Now if you do this, Hashem will give you your reward, that your fruits will be blessed until your storehouses are filled with grain, etc.
Metzudat David
"With your substance" — To set aside from it charity. "And with the first-fruits" — To give terumot [priestly heave-offerings] and tithes.
Malbim
"Honor" — after teaching him to know Hashem in all his ways and to trust in Him, since the laws of wisdom that He has bounded will be a remedy and a healing for him, he adds that likewise in all your affairs, and even in the gathering of possessions, their beginning should be attributed to Hashem, for He is the giver of all, and everything comes from His hand. Therefore you must honor Him with your wealth and with the first of all your increase, for the first fruits are to be attributed to Him, and through this...
So shall your barns be filled with plenty, And your vats shall overflow with new wine.
verse value 2046
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "plenty" (שָׂבָ֑ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·shall·be·filled" (וְיִמָּלְא֣וּ, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·shall·be·filled" (וְיִמָּלְא֣וּ), "your·storehouses" (אֲסָמֶ֣יךָ), "and·new·wine" (וְ֝תִיר֗וֹשׁ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "plenty" (root שבע, 28x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'plenty', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְיִמָּלְא֣וּ [and·shall·be·filled] (93) + אֲסָמֶ֣יךָ [your·storehouses] (131) + שָׂבָ֑ע [plenty] (372) + וְ֝תִיר֗וֹשׁ [and·new·wine] (922) + יְקָבֶ֥יךָ [your·wine·vats] (142) + יִפְרֹֽצוּ [will·overflow] (386) = 2046.
Ibn Ezra
"Shall overflow" (יפרוצו) — [related to] יפוצו ("shall spread abroad"), from abundance, until they burst forth as a breach in the winepresses.
Ralbag
"And they shall be filled" — [meaning] that your storehouses will indeed be filled with grain, and your vats will have an abundance of new wine, as it says in the Book of Chronicles: "From the time the contribution began to be brought into the house of Hashem, we have eaten and been satisfied and have had plenty left over, for Hashem has blessed His people" (2 Chronicles 31:10). Now here he also calls attention to another matter connected to the preceding intent, and this completes this statement. And the point of it is a path and a way toward attaining the wisdom that is in [His] creation of things. For if it is assumed that there is no [prime] Cause — as Epicurus and his faction said — then wisdom is removed from things, and it becomes impossible to inquire, for example, why the eye has this particular form and these kinds of fluids/humors, and likewise regarding every other thing, for such inquiry is not possible once one assumes that the matter came about by chance. But once it is known that there is here a Cause, namely Hashem (may He be blessed), this prepares for us the way to attain the wisdom that is in the creation of the things that exist — and to the degree that we attain it, so will our devotion to Hashem (may He be blessed) increase, He with whom resides the intelligible [content] of all these things, and from whose intelligible [content] their existence flows. Now when you press further to inquire into these causes in the most perfect way, if your intent is always to thereby give honor to Hashem, and for this reason you strive to find the most perfect causes in which the honor of Hashem (may He be blessed) may be seen — this will be a cause for filling the storehouses of your intellect with the acquisition of true wisdom. For by this you will be guided to attain, as far as possible, the depths of the divine wisdom that is expressed in each of these things as they truly are. Now when it happens that some bodily afflictions come upon you, this is necessarily for the sake of moral correction, after you have been walking in wisdom and in Torah — meant to remove from you some corrupt opinions that you had begun to incline toward, or [to correct you] on account of your having transgressed some of the commandments of the Torah. For Hashem (may He be blessed) watches over those who love Him, to save them from bodily afflictions, according to what we explained in the fourth [book] of the Wars of Hashem.
Metzudat David
"So shall ... be filled" — That is, you shall lack nothing on this account, for blessing will be sent upon them, and it shall increase further; and "new wine" — the wine that is in the winepresses shall multiply.
Metzudat Zion
"Your barns" — these are the storehouses of grain, as in "the blessing upon your barns" (Deuteronomy 28:8). "Your vats" — these are the pits into which the wine flows down, as in "and also hewed out a vat therein" (Isaiah 5:2). "Shall overflow" — an expression of increasing abundantly, as in "they increased greatly" (1 Chronicles 4:38).
Malbim
"So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your vats overflow with new wine" — for if you believe that the beginning of all things is from Him, then blessing is sent forth from Him upon all the work of your hands. From this he draws a comparison: that wisdom, too, which is the absolute beginning of all things — as Targum Yonatan renders "Bereishit" ("In the beginning") as "b'chokhmeta" ("with wisdom") — you must likewise attribute it back to Hashem, and know that its laws and its bounds all come from Him. And you should not be wise in your own eyes by attributing wisdom to your own understanding, but rather "fear Hashem and depart from evil," acting according to His precepts — and by this all your affairs will be blessed.
My son, despise not the chastening of Hashem, Neither spurn you His correction;
verse value 2395
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "my·son" (בְּנִ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·His·rebuke" (בְּתוֹכַחְתּֽוֹ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "do·not·despise" (אַל־תִּמְאָ֑ס), "and·do·not·spurn" (וְאַל־תָּ֝קֹ֗ץ), "in·His·rebuke" (בְּתוֹכַחְתּֽוֹ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "my·son" (root בן, 51x in Proverbs); "the·chastening·of" (root מוסר, 30x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'do·not·despise', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: מוּסַ֣ר [the·chastening·of] (306) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + בְּנִ֣י [my·son] (62) + אַל־תִּמְאָ֑ס [do·not·despise] (532) + וְאַל־תָּ֝קֹ֗ץ [and·do·not·spurn] (627) + בְּתוֹכַחְתּֽוֹ [in·His·rebuke] (842) = 2395.
Rashi
My son, despise not the discipline of the Lord Should pains come upon you, they should be dear to you. and do not abhor Heb. תקץ, from the expression of (Gen. 27:46) “I abhor (קצתי) my life.”
Ibn Ezra
"The chastening of Hashem" — [this connects with the later verse] "Happy is the man who finds wisdom" (v. 13), for through it he is guarded from sinning, and afflictions do not come upon him.
Ralbag
"My son, despise not the chastening of Hashem" — Do not despise the chastening of Hashem when some bodily afflictions befall you from Him in the manner we have mentioned, for [despising it] would be a cause of preventing you from [receiving] the benefit for the sake of which this rebuke came. And do not spurn His reproof, for Hashem chastises the one whom He loves, etc.
Metzudat David
"The chastening" — And if suffering or affliction comes to you from Hashem, do not despise it; rather, accept it with love. "Neither spurn" — This repeats the same matter in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"Spurn" — an expression of loathing, as in "I am weary of my life" (Genesis 27:46).
Malbim
"My son, do not despise the chastening of Hashem" — Wherever "chastening" (musar) and "reproof" (tochachah) occur together with regard to human beings, the musar comes about through compulsion or through suffering, while the tochachah is the clarification by which the matter is clarified for the person through rational proofs and demonstrations. Therefore, regarding musar it used the expression "do not despise" (al tim'as), for it is the way of a person to despise suffering; but regarding tochachah it said "do not loathe His reproof" (al takotz), since the reproof is not, in itself, something to be despised, given that it comes by way of words of intellect and knowledge — only that the soul of the listener sometimes feels loathing toward it. But with regard to Hashem we find that sometimes the tochachah, too, comes by way of suffering; in that case the term musar applies to the suffering that Hashem brings upon a person in order to rectify a past sin and chastise him for his prior iniquities, while the term tochachah applies to the suffering that Hashem brings upon him in order to restore him to the good path in the future — similar to the "sufferings of love" mentioned by our Sages, may their memory be blessed, namely that anyone whom the Holy One, blessed be He, desires, He crushes with suffering; and the condition of such sufferings is that one accept them with love and take to heart the resolve to improve his way. And so it says.
For whom Hashem loves He corrects, Even as a father the son in whom he delights.
verse value 1817
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 32 letters. Notable word values: "loves" (יֶאֱהַ֣ב) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "whom" (אֶ֥ת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "corrects" (יוֹכִ֑יחַ), "and·like·a·father" (וּ֝כְאָ֗ב), "son" (אֶת־בֵּ֥ן). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "for" (root כי, 51x in Proverbs); "son" (root בן, 51x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root יכח ("corrects") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'corrects', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + אֶ֥ת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר [whom] (902) + יֶאֱהַ֣ב [loves] (18) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + יוֹכִ֑יחַ [corrects] (54) + וּ֝כְאָ֗ב [and·like·a·father] (29) + אֶת־בֵּ֥ן [son] (453) + יִרְצֶֽה [delights] (305) = 1817.
Rashi
as a father placates his son He desires to benefit his son and he placates him after striking him with the staff. So will the benefit be pleasant to you after the smiting.
Ralbag
"For whom Hashem loves" — For Hashem (may He be blessed) chastises the one whom He loves, wishing to conduct Himself with him as a father does with the son he disciplines for his own good. And when you act accordingly [by accepting the chastisement], you will gain the benefit of examining your deeds and your opinions until it becomes clear to you in what you had gone astray toward sin — as it says, "and He opens their ear to discipline, and tells them to turn back from iniquity" (Job 36:10).
Metzudat David
"He corrects" — To open his ear, to straighten his way. "Even as a father" — Just as the father who intends, by striking [him], to appease his son so as to improve his way, and not to take vengeance.
Metzudat Zion
"He delights" — related to the terms favor and appeasement.
Malbim
"For whom Hashem loves He corrects" — the reproof is a sign of love, for out of His love He watches over him to improve his way and to raise him higher and higher, level upon level. "Even as a father [treats] the son in whom he delights" — just as the father wishes to raise his son from level to level, so he withholds from him luxuries and delicacies, and inclines his shoulder to bear the yoke of Torah and constancy in study and the like — and all this out of his abundant love for him.
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who obtains understanding.
verse value 1474
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אָ֭דָם, 3 letters) and the longest is "understanding" (תְּבוּנָֽה, 5 letters). The root אדם appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wisdom" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "man" (root אדם, 44x in Proverbs); "finds" (root מצא, 28x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root פוק ("obtains") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wisdom', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַשְׁרֵ֣י [happy] (511) + אָ֭דָם [man] (45) + מָצָ֣א [finds] (131) + חׇכְמָ֑ה [wisdom] (73) + וְ֝אָדָ֗ם [and·man] (51) + יָפִ֥יק [obtains] (200) + תְּבוּנָֽה [understanding] (463) = 1474.
Rashi
Fortunate is the man who has found wisdom and a man who gives forth discernment One who learned wisdom until he is so accustomed to it that he can express it with his mouth.
Ibn Ezra
"Obtains" (יפיק) — he draws out understanding from another and learns it.
Ralbag
"Happy is the man who finds wisdom" — How fortunate is the man who finds, of the wisdom of Hashem (may He be blessed), such things as are possible for him [to attain]; and [happy is] the man who draws forth understanding from his heart by the paths mentioned previously. "[He] obtains" [yafik] — meaning, he draws forth.
Metzudat David
"And the man" — This refers back to "happy," meaning: happy is the man if he draws forth understanding from wisdom — that is, if he understands one thing from within another.
Metzudat Zion
"Obtains" — brings forth/extracts, as in "and obtains favor" (below, 8:35).
Malbim
"Happy is the man who finds wisdom" — wisdom (chochmah) is not acquired through reasoning (iyun) the way understanding (tevunah) is, which one derives from his own mind through reasoning; rather, one receives it from Hashem, as above. And happy is he who finds all the statutes of wisdom, that they become his possession — like a person who finds a lost object: although he found it from outside himself, nevertheless it becomes his possession and is his own. "And the man who obtains understanding" (yafik tevunah) — for binah (discernment) is drawn out and derived from one's own mind, in that he understands one thing from another. And there is a difference between binah and tevunah: tevunah is when one contemplates the totality of the ways and knows all the matters of binah in all their particulars.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, And its gain than fine gold.
verse value 1952
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "than·the·traffic·of·silver" (מִסְּחַר־כָּ֑סֶף, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "than·the·traffic·of·silver" (מִסְּחַר־כָּ֑סֶף), "and·than·fine·gold" (וּ֝מֵחָר֗וּץ), "its·produce" (תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ). The root סחר appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "good" (root טוב, 52x in Proverbs); "for" (root כי, 51x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root סחר ("its·traffic") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root חרוץ ("and·than·fine·gold") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'than·the·traffic·of·silver', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + ט֣וֹב [good] (17) + סַ֭חְרָהּ [its·traffic] (273) + מִסְּחַר־כָּ֑סֶף [than·the·traffic·of·silver] (468) + וּ֝מֵחָר֗וּץ [and·than·fine·gold] (350) + תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ [its·produce] (814) = 1952.
Rashi
for its commerce is better than the commerce of silver In any exchange, when a person exchanges [something] for merchandise, this one takes this, and that one takes that; but if one says to his friend, “Teach me your chapter, and I will teach you my chapter,” [then] both chapters are found in the hand of each of them. than fine gold Heb. מחרוץ. That is a type of gold.
Ralbag
"For the merchandise of it is better" — For the endeavor to seek it is immeasurably better than the endeavor to seek silver, which has only some benefit for sustaining bodily life; and its gain is more precious than gold. "For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver" — Behold, the merchant is the one who travels about through lands to seek the merchandise he wishes to acquire. Therefore he said that it is better to travel about and wander in search of wisdom and understanding than to travel about in search of silver.
Metzudat David
"For [the merchandise of it is] better" — [Better is] the trade of wisdom than the trade of silver, for one who takes the price of silver [in a sale], the silver no longer remains in his hand, nor does the price remain in the other's hand; but it is not so with the matter of wisdom, for when one learns from another a single piece of wisdom in exchange for teaching him another piece of wisdom, then both remain in the possession of each one. "Its gain" — The fruit of wisdom; that is, what one understands from his own mind out of the matter of wisdom he has learned — that is better than fine gold.
Metzudat Zion
"And than fine gold" — this is fine gold, as in "with the shimmer of gold" (Psalms 68:14).
Malbim
"For better" (ki tov) is explained according to what is stated below (Proverbs 16:16): "How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver," and we explained there that: * Wisdom — since one does not find it through his own understanding and reasoning, but rather receives it from Hashem — is likened to gold (charutz), which is found in the depths of the mountains by way of a find; so too wisdom is found by way of a find, from the Master of wisdom, as it says, "Happy is the man who finds wisdom." * And understanding is found through commerce, in that one understands and derives one thing from another, as it says, "and the man who obtains understanding" — and it resembles the acquisition of silver, which is sold and bought by way of trade and exchange; And so too it says here: * Corresponding to what is said, "and the man who obtains understanding," it explains, "for her merchandise is better than the merchandise of silver"; * and corresponding to what is said, "happy is the man who finds wisdom," it explains, "and her gain than fine gold." For these [silver and gold] are possessions that perish and do not become intrinsic to the soul, whereas wisdom and understanding are eternal, enduring possessions that become intrinsic to the soul of man.
She is more precious than rubies; And all the things you can desire are not to be compared to her.
verse value 1465
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·all·your·delights" (וְכׇל־חֲ֝פָצֶ֗יךָ, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·all·your·delights" (וְכׇל־חֲ֝פָצֶ֗יךָ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 61x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root היא ("she") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root פנין ("than·rubies") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'than·rubies', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words.
Rashi
and all your desirable things Heb. חפציך all that you desire. cannot be compared to it They are not equal to its worth, nor their price to its price.
Ibn Ezra
"Your desires" — everything that you desire. "Are comparable" (ישוו) — related to the phrase "and it is not worth it for the king" (Esther 3:8), which means: the people are worth nothing, and it is not considered worthwhile for the king to tolerate them, for they are "a people scattered and dispersed" (Esther 3:8) and despised.
Ralbag
"She is more precious than rubies; and all the things you can desire, etc." — Behold, she is more precious than all gems, and in general, all the desirable things of man cannot be compared to her. And by "the desirable things of man" is meant the other things that a person longs for, for all these desirable things are as nothing against her. And it is possible that this refers back to the Torah — and this is the more correct [reading] — meaning that very fortunate is he who finds the wisdom alluded to in the Torah, and [fortunate is] the man who draws out from it the understanding alluded to within it, for everything is alluded to in the Torah, as we explained in our commentaries on the words of the Torah.
Metzudat David
"Precious" — She is more valuable than "peninim," which are pearls/precious gems. "And all the things you can desire" — All the things that you desire and wish for will not be equal to her worth.
Metzudat Zion
"Than rubies" — these are pearls/gems.
Malbim
"She is more precious than rubies" — rubies (peninim) are precious because they are not found on the earth upon which man lives, but in a different element, the element of water, for they are found in the depths of the sea. So too the statutes of wisdom are not found in human intellect, an intellect that dwells in matter; rather, their origin is from the heavens and from a divine intellect, which is even further away than the depths of the seas — deep and lofty, far, far away, who can find it? And although one must give, as the price of wisdom, the desires of the body and its pleasures and lusts, [the verse says] "and all the things you can desire are not to be compared to her," for she is more precious than all of them, because through her one attains things more precious still, for:
Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
verse value 1430
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 1430 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "length·of" (אֹ֣רֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·her·left·hand" (בִּ֝שְׂמֹאולָ֗הּ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "in·her·right·hand" (בִּֽימִינָ֑הּ), "in·her·left·hand" (בִּ֝שְׂמֹאולָ֗הּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "days" (root יום, 32x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root ימין ("in·her·right·hand") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root עשר ("riches") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·her·right·hand', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֹ֣רֶךְ [length·of] (221) + יָ֭מִים [days] (100) + בִּֽימִינָ֑הּ [in·her·right·hand] (117) + בִּ֝שְׂמֹאולָ֗הּ [in·her·left·hand] (384) + עֹ֣שֶׁר [riches] (570) + וְכָבֽוֹד [and·honor] (38) = 1430.
Rashi
in its right hand Those who make the right use of it and engage in it for its own sake will have length of days and surely riches and honor, but those who make the wrong [lit. left] use of it, who engage in it not for its own sake, will still have riches and honor.
Ibn Ezra
"Riches and honor" — a metaphor, that wisdom will bring him to two [distinct] ranks of greatness.
Ralbag
"Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor" — Behold, in the Torah's right hand is length of days, meaning the attainment of eternal life, for this is her fruit, and therefore this is attributed to her right hand; and this comes by way of the wisdom and understanding one attains through her. Now regarding the second intent [the left hand], one attains through her riches and honor, for by virtue of the divine providence that clings to a person on her account, bodily benefits are also drawn to him, as has been explained in the Torah, and as we explained further in the fourth treatise of the Wars of Hashem.
Metzudat David
"Length of days" — That is, through her one attains length of days, riches, and honor; and our Sages, of blessed memory, said: for those who [take hold of her] with the right hand — one who occupies himself [with Torah] for its own sake — she is for him length of days, and how much more so riches and honor; but for those who [take hold of her] with the left hand — one who occupies himself with it not for its own sake — nevertheless there will be riches and honor.
Malbim
"Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor" — for silver, gold, and rubies hold riches and honor in their right hand, since their essential purpose is to attain riches and honor; but wisdom holds riches and honor in her left hand, as a secondary matter that one holds in the left hand, for in her right hand she holds something more precious than this, namely length of days — which encompasses the goodness of the life of this world and also eternal life in the world that is wholly long [i.e., the World to Come].
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
verse value 1948
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "peace" (שָׁלֽוֹם, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·all·her·paths" (וְֽכׇל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ, 11 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "ways·of·pleasantness" (דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם), "and·all·her·paths" (וְֽכׇל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ). The root דרך appears 2 times in this verse. 3 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "her·ways" (root דרך, 74x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ways·of·pleasantness', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ [her·ways] (239) + דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם [ways·of·pleasantness] (394) + וְֽכׇל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ [and·all·her·paths] (939) + שָׁלֽוֹם [peace] (376) = 1948.
Ibn Ezra
"Ways of pleasantness" — that they will be pleasant and sweet to him. "Her paths" — paths of peace.
Ralbag
"Her ways are ways of pleasantness" — Behold, the ways of the Torah are ways that are very pleasant and sweet to a person, for it did not lay upon a person any burden that would be difficult for him; rather, all that is in it of commandments and warnings are things agreeable and desirable in their very essence — unlike the customs of the nations, who used to impose difficult things by means of them, "even burning their sons and their daughters in fire to their gods" (Deuteronomy 12:31). And all the paths of the Torah are peace for the body and for the soul, as has been explained from our words concerning the words of the Torah, for all of them direct [a person] toward the health of the body and the health of the soul. Behold, the Torah is a tree of life for those who hold fast to it — to keep and to do and to inquire into its matters — and in the manner of wisdom, directing themselves toward it. And those who support the Torah, who hold fast to it in order to grasp the reasons within its statements, are fortunate, for by this approach one is guided rightly to grasp its intentions — not that one should treat its matters lightly and pass over them the way one passes over books of chronicles that people relate to one another; rather, one should inquire in every way to substantiate it, so as to grasp its intentions — as if to say, that one should go deeply into each and every matter of it: why it was formulated in such a manner, and why this statement is juxtaposed to that statement — for in this way one will find [wisdom] in it and derive understanding from it. Since [Scripture] has [just] praised wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, it now explains here what each of these is, and why they deserve to be praised, and it says: "Hashem by wisdom, etc."
Metzudat David
"Ways of pleasantness" — That is, no manner of stumbling-block will arise in the matter of fulfilling the words of the Torah. "And all, etc." — This repeats the same matter in different words.
Malbim
"Her ways" (deracheha) — the derech (way) is the great road fixed for the many, while the netivot (paths) are those by which individuals travel. Accordingly it says, "her ways are ways of pleasantness," meaning that the general ways of wisdom are the ways that lead to pleasantness (no'am), which is the spiritual, psychic delight attained upon reaching the goal, for thus the soul of one who engages in it is satisfied even in drought. "And all her paths are peace" — the small paths that branch off from the great road, by which each individual walks for himself in conducting himself and his household, are peace; for the peace of the body, the household, and the state, and the peace of one's possessions (all of which are included under the term "peace"), depend on the conduct whereby each person walks for himself in the particular paths of wisdom, all of which branch off from her great, general ways.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold upon her, And happy is every one who holds her fast.
verse value 1518
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "in·her" (בָּ֑הּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·those·who·lay·hold" (לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "tree·of·life" (עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים), "to·those·who·lay·hold" (לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים), "and·those·who·hold·her" (וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "happy" (root אשר, 23x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root עץ ("tree·of·life") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root חזק ("to·those·who·lay·hold") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·her', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים [tree·of·life] (228) + הִ֭יא [she] (16) + לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים [to·those·who·lay·hold] (245) + בָּ֑הּ [in·her] (7) + וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ [and·those·who·hold·her] (481) + מְאֻשָּֽׁר [happy] (541) = 1518.
Rashi
for those who grasp it Heb. למחזיקים for those who hold onto it, as in (Ex. 4:4): “and he extended his hand and grasped (ויחזק) it.” and those who draw near it are fortunate Heb. ותמכיה, those who draw near it. Likewise, every expression of תמיכה in this Book means that he holds onto it.
Ibn Ezra
"A tree" — like the tree of life, for one who eats from its fruit will live many years. "And those who hold her fast" — that they will not forsake her, as he said, for wisdom gives life to man, who is a small world (a microcosm).
Metzudat David
"To those who lay hold upon her" — To those who grasp her, she is for them a tree of life, for through her one attains life; and "those who hold her fast" — one who upholds her with fences and safeguards is praiseworthy.
Metzudat Zion
"Happy" — praised/praiseworthy, as in "happy is the man" (Psalms 1:1).
Malbim
"She is a tree of life to those who lay hold upon her" — there is the tzaddik (righteous one) and there is the koveish (one who suppresses his inclination). The tzaddik is one whose heart's nature inclines toward wisdom, and whose evil inclination does not entice him to transgress her statutes; the koveish is one whose nature inclines toward evil, but who suppresses his inclination. Accordingly it says that she is "a tree of life to those who lay hold upon her" (machazikim) — namely, to the koveish, who holds onto her against her will, as it were, as though wisdom wished to separate from him because his nature opposes her, yet he holds onto her with all his strength and does not let her go, because he suppresses his inclination. And "happy is every one who holds her fast" (tomcheha) — this refers to one whose heart's nature is not opposed to wisdom, so that he need not hold onto her against her will but merely support her; he is called "happy." And it states a novel point in each case: that the koveish is happy with happiness of soul need not be told to us, for we know this on our own — that in proportion to the greatness of his pain in suppressing his inclination, his happiness and reward will be great, for "according to the pain is the reward" (lefum tza'ara agra). Rather, we might have imagined that this inner battle that he wages with his inclination in order to suppress it shortens his life; therefore it says that she is a "tree of life" to him, meaning that she lengthens his life as though he had eaten from the Tree of Life and lives forever. And regarding the one who holds her fast (tomeich), who is one with whom wisdom dwells naturally and who has no inner battle, it might have occurred to us that he does not have so great a reward; [the verse] informs us that happy, too, is he who holds her fast.
Hashem by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens.
verse value 1447
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "founded·earth" (יָסַד־אָ֑רֶץ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "founded·earth" (יָסַד־אָ֑רֶץ), "established" (כּוֹנֵ֥ן). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·wisdom" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root כון ("established") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root שמים ("heavens") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'founded·earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יְֽהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + בְּחׇכְמָ֥ה [in·wisdom] (75) + יָסַד־אָ֑רֶץ [founded·earth] (365) + כּוֹנֵ֥ן [established] (126) + שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם [heavens] (390) + בִּתְבוּנָֽה [in·understanding] (465) = 1447.
Rashi
The Lord founded the earth with wisdom According to the Torah. This is the Torah, which is discernment and which is knowledge.
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem founded the earth by wisdom" — he tells of her greatness, for by it the upper world was created.
Ralbag
"Hashem by wisdom founded the earth" — And it says that by wisdom Hashem founded the earth. This foundation is what He rooted and placed within the nature of the natural existents that He brought into being on earth. Now, by wisdom Hashem was aware of their existence on the day they were created, and their nature was founded; and whatever a person attains through inquiry into them is called "wisdom," for everything among them that comes about is from essential and correlative causes — as if to say, that the hot [thing] heats, and that man begets man. And "by understanding He established the heavens" with regard to the condition they are in — their distance from us, the magnitude of the stars that are moved [by the spheres], the variation of the configurations of the spheres that move the star, and the variations of the motions in length (longitude) and breadth (latitude) — until many variations arise from this, such as the apparent motion of the star as it appears to us; and because of this, varied effects arise from them in this lower world, as we explained in the fifth [treatise] of the Book of the Wars of Hashem (Milchamot Hashem). Now this matter is called "understanding" (tevunah), because what comes about through them does not come about in the manner of what comes about from essential or correlative causes — for they [the heavenly bodies] heat, yet there is no heat in them; and they cool, yet there is no cold in them; and so too regarding the rest of what emanates from them. However, that which Hashem, may He be exalted, brought about — the splitting open of the depths, and the skies dripping down [moisture] — has great bearing on the sustaining of this lower world, for without it the survival of plants and living creatures would be impossible, and also so that the equilibrium would be preserved in the element of water along with the other elements corresponding to it. Now, the origination of this matter lay within the knowledge of Hashem, may He be exalted, and grasping it is close to [being among] the first intelligibles. This is because the moist vapor, when it forms in the bowels of the earth and something prevents it from rising, so that it must descend, thickens because of this and turns into water; or when it rises and encounters a cold region, the coldness thickens it and water forms from it. Now, that whose way is thus is called "knowledge" (da'at). And since the matter is so — that is to say, that these things flowed from the wisdom of Hashem, may He be blessed, His understanding, and His knowledge, in this manner — behold, a person, in grasping what he is able to attain of these things, cleaves to the wisdom of Hashem, His understanding, and His knowledge, insofar as possible.
Metzudat David
"By wisdom" — By means of the wisdom of the Torah He created the world. "By understanding" — The understanding of the Torah.
Malbim
(19-20) "Hashem by wisdom founded the earth" — This phrase unites with what is said below (Proverbs 24:3-4), "Through wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established, and through knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant wealth," which pictures the building of the house through wisdom, and pictures the completion of the building — which is the "establishing" (konen, for konen means the completion of a building) — through understanding, and attributes the filling of the house's chambers with precious vessels to knowledge. So too here he pictures the general building, which is the world: its foundation was through wisdom, its establishment — which is the completion of the building — was through understanding, and the filling of the chambers, which is the filling of the world with Hashem's blessing by means of the depths of water and the dew of heaven, is attributed to knowledge. And the image conveyed is that the earth is the foundation of the building and the heavens are its ceiling there, for the placing of the ceiling completes the building, as it says, "Who builds His upper chambers in the heavens" (Amos 9:6), and the depths, the dew, and the rains of blessing fill the world with all good and blessing. Now, the foundation of the building of the world was created "something from nothing" (yesh me'ayin), and this is attributed to wisdom, as it says, "In the beginning God created" (Genesis 1:1), which the Targum renders "with wisdom" (bechochmeta). And the completion of the building, which occurred during the six days of creation, came about through the bringing forth of "something from something" (yesh miyesh), and this is attributed to understanding — meaning that wisdom brings forth its materials from nothing, that is, from Hashem Himself, who is the Infinite (Ein Sof), while understanding brings forth one thing from another, something conceived from something already conceived; and this is depicted through the completion of the building, which was the bringing forth of something from nothing. And the governance of the world after the six days of creation — which corresponds to the filling of the chambers of the world with every precious vessel, in that from then on the depths burst forth below and the skies pour down dew from above, all the days of the world — this is depicted through knowledge. Now it has already been explained that anything called by the name "wisdom" contains within it two opposite possible paths in reality; and so at the time He brought the world forth from nothing into being, there were, in the mind of the Creator, several possibilities for bringing the world into being in other ways, and He chose to bring it into being in this way, in accordance with the supreme wisdom — as it is said, that the Holy One, blessed be He, was building worlds and destroying them, until He said, "This one pleases Me, this one does not please Me" — and this is the definition of wisdom. However, once He had brought forth the primal materials from nothing, there was no longer before Him another way to bring forth something from something — only the single path that was fitted to the preparation of the primal material, as is stated in the Midrash by way of a parable, of one who sows six seeds all at once, and each one comes up in its own season; and this is the parable of understanding, which has no two opposite paths in reality, only a single path, for it likewise brings forth one thing from another according to the laws of understanding. And that which directs the orderly governance, all the days of the world, to open the depths and pour out the dew, according to the providence by which He watches over the needs of His world — this depends on knowledge. Now the creatures of the earth, too, have free choice to do good or evil, and there are, in their governance, two paths in reality, and this is the governance of wisdom; and by this "He founded the earth" — this was the foundation for the creation of a world in which beings possessing free choice would be created and would conduct themselves according to wisdom. However, in the heavens there is no free choice, and no governance that includes good and evil; rather, they comprehend their Creator and know to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and this is the definition of understanding. And the governance that is forever fixed — whether according to the order of nature and the heavenly system, or according to providence and wonder — this depends on the "knowledge of God," according to what He knows of the orders of governance, the needs of the world, the ways of the lower creatures, and the necessity for their perfection and their being sustained, through knowledge that reaches all the way to the end of all generations — this is the matter of "knowledge" (da'at).
By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
verse value 2436
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "in·His·knowledge" (בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ, 5 letters) and the longest is "trickle·dew" (יִרְעֲפוּ־טָֽל, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "in·His·knowledge" (בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ), "depths" (תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת), "were·split" (נִבְקָ֑עוּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·His·knowledge" (root דעת, 29x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root תהום ("depths") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'were·split', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ [in·His·knowledge] (482) + תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת [depths] (857) + נִבְקָ֑עוּ [were·split] (228) + וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים [and·skies] (464) + יִרְעֲפוּ־טָֽל [trickle·dew] (405) = 2436.
Rashi
drip Heb. ירעפו, like יטיפו. Now, since the entire world was created with them, therefore...
Ibn Ezra
"By His knowledge the depths were broken up" — to water by them the beasts and the birds.
Ralbag
"By His knowledge the depths were broken up" — For it is for the sake of man's coming to know this wisdom and understanding that "the depths were broken up" from below, these items of knowledge springing forth from them; and from above too, "the skies drop down dew" — these items of knowledge flow by means of it. Now, [Solomon] hinted, by what flows from below, that these items of knowledge would spring forth from the natural, perceptible things around us, which awaken us to this wisdom and understanding; and by what flows to us from above, he hinted at the influence that flows to us from Hashem, [enabling us] to attain these items of knowledge by means of the Active Intellect. And he likened that influence to dew, not to rain, for dew spreads through all the air and does not fall drop by drop as rain does; and likewise this influence reaches all the places that are fit to receive it, all together, not in one place to the exclusion of another.
Metzudat David
"By His knowledge" — By the knowledge of the Torah the depths were broken open — the springs that flow forth from below. "And the skies" — This refers back to "by His knowledge," meaning: by the knowledge of the Torah the heavens drip down dew.
Metzudat Zion
"Drop down" — shall drip, as in "my doctrine shall drop as the rain" (Deuteronomy 32:2).
My son, let not them depart from your eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion;
verse value 1499
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "my·son" (בְּ֭נִי, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·them·not·depart" (אַל־יָלֻ֣זוּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "let·them·not·depart" (אַל־יָלֻ֣זוּ), "sound·wisdom" (תֻּ֝שִׁיָּ֗ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·son" (root בן, 51x in Proverbs); "from·your·eyes" (root עין, 43x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·your·eyes', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּ֭נִי [my·son] (62) + אַל־יָלֻ֣זוּ [let·them·not·depart] (84) + מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ [from·your·eyes] (200) + נְצֹ֥ר [keep] (340) + תֻּ֝שִׁיָּ֗ה [sound·wisdom] (715) + וּמְזִמָּֽה [and·discretion] (98) = 1499.
Rashi
let them not depart from your eyes Let them not be curved away from before your eyes, to remove them from before you.
Ibn Ezra
"Let them not depart" (אל ילוזו) — the grammatically correct form would be "תלוזנה" [feminine plural], for he is speaking of "sound wisdom" and "discretion" [feminine nouns], similar to "and the flocks conceived" (Genesis 30:39).
Ralbag
"My son, let them not depart" — Let wisdom and understanding not depart from your eyes; rather, keep them always — keep the rational principle that you have attained in this, and also keep the reasoning that brought you to attain it, so that you may always know the truth in its ways, and so that wisdom and understanding may be life for your soul, for they themselves are the acquired intellect that remains of a person after death, as we explained in the first [treatise] of the Book of the Wars of Hashem (Milchamot Hashem). And through them you will find favor in your words among people; for by their means, Divine Providence will cleave to you, so that you will not stumble as you go on your way.
Metzudat David
"Let not them depart" — Since she is so precious, it is fitting that they not depart from before your eyes. "Keep sound wisdom and discretion" — That is, keep the Torah in deed and in thought.
Metzudat Zion
"Let them depart" — an expression of turning aside and removal.
Malbim
"My son, let them not depart from your eyes" — therefore the ways of wisdom shall not depart from your eyes, namely the inner eyes, which are the eyes of the heart. "Keep sound wisdom and discretion" — the discretion (mezimah) refers to the deep thoughts within wisdom, and sound wisdom (tushiyah) refers to the deeds one performs in accordance with wisdom; that is to say, you shall see to it that your deed, your reflection, and your thought are all in accordance with the ways of wisdom. And even though you keep tushiyah, which is the deed, you must also keep mezimah, which is the depth of reflection in wisdom, for study leads to action; and "an unlearned person cannot be pious, nor can one who is ignorant fear sin" (Avot 2:5).
So shall they be life to your soul, And grace to your neck.
verse value 1515
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "and·grace" (וְ֝חֵ֗ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·your·neck" (לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·they·shall·be" (וְיִֽהְי֣וּ), "and·grace" (וְ֝חֵ֗ן), "for·your·neck" (לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·your·soul" (root נפש, 53x in Proverbs); "life" (root חי, 32x in Proverbs); "and·they·shall·be" (root היה, 27x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·your·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְיִֽהְי֣וּ [and·they·shall·be] (37) + חַיִּ֣ים [life] (68) + לְנַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ [to·your·soul] (480) + וְ֝חֵ֗ן [and·grace] (64) + לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ [for·your·neck] (866) = 1515.
Rashi
and they shall be life for your soul for it is a tree of life. and grace for your neck For this is its praise that is mentioned above (1:9): “and a necklace for your neck.”
Metzudat David
"So shall they be" — The keeping [of Torah] in deed and in thought will be the cause of bringing life to your soul, and of clothing your neck with them.
Malbim
"So shall they be life to your soul" — by this you will find the life of the soul, for the soul is called "living" only when it exercises its spiritual faculties to comprehend and to act in accordance with wisdom; apart from this, even though the body is alive and has sensation, the spiritual soul is dead, as though it did not exist. "And grace to your neck" (gargeroteicha) — for when you speak aloud and teach the ways of wisdom to others, you will find favor in the eyes of God and man, as above at verse 4.
Then you shall walk in your way securely, And you shall not dash your foot.
verse value 1530
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 24 letters. Verse gematria: 1530 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "then" (אָ֤ז, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·your·foot" (וְ֝רַגְלְךָ֗, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·your·foot" (וְ֝רַגְלְךָ֗), "dash" (תִגּֽוֹף). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "your·way" (root דרך, 74x in Proverbs); "not" (root לא, 61x in Proverbs); "you·shall·walk" (root הלך, 35x in Proverbs). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·way', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: אָ֤ז [then] (8) + תֵּלֵ֣ךְ [you·shall·walk] (450) + לָבֶ֣טַח [securely] (49) + דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ [your·way] (244) + וְ֝רַגְלְךָ֗ [and·your·foot] (259) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + תִגּֽוֹף [dash] (489) = 1530.
Rashi
shall not stumble Heb. לא תגוף. This is an expression of stumbling, (achopper in French, straucheln in German. And so in Jeremiah 13:16 Psalms 91.12.) And so (Ps. 91:12). “Lest your foot stumble (תגף) on a stone”; and so (Jer. 13:16): “And before your feet stumble (יתנגפו)” and so (Ex. 21:22): “and they dash (ונגפו) a pregnant woman.”
Ibn Ezra
"Then" ... "you shall not stub [your foot]" (לא תגוף) — this is a transitive verb, and the meaning is that you will not make it (your foot) like a stumbling stone, once you have learned sound wisdom.
Metzudat David
"Then" — When you are careful in deed and in thought, then you shall walk securely in your ways, for there is nothing to frighten [you]. "You shall not dash [your foot]" — You shall not strike against stumbling-stones cast in the way; that is, no harm shall befall you.
Metzudat Zion
"Dash" — an expression of striking, as in "lest you dash your foot against a stone" (Psalms 91:12).
Malbim
"Then you shall walk" — meaning, then divine providence will accompany you, to guard you from every mishap. He considers three states: (1) his walking on the road, for then he is more liable to mishaps — robbers, ambushers, and murderers; (2) his sitting in his house, which itself divides into two states: (a) the time of lying down and sleeping, for then he is in more danger than at the time of waking, and (b) waking, at a time of fear and calamity, which likewise requires protection. And so their order [elsewhere] is: "and you shall speak of them... when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down" (Deuteronomy 6:7); but here their order is arranged so that providence accompanies him when he walks on the road, and even when he lies down in his house, which is not so dangerous, and even when he sits in his house and is not sleeping, when there is no danger at all — nevertheless, in every one of these, Hashem will guard him. And in each case he includes two things: (1) that he will find security in his heart and will not fear, through his trust in Hashem, and (2) that Hashem will truly save him from every mishap. Thus: "in your walking on the road, you shall walk your way securely" — this is the trust; "and your foot shall not stumble" — this is the protection, that Hashem will guard you, as it says, "For He will give His angels charge over you... lest you dash your foot against a stone" (Psalms 91:11-12). And concerning the time of sleep, he says [next].
When you lie down, you shall not be afraid; Indeed, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.
verse value 3067
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "your·sleep" (שְׁנָתֶֽךָ, 4 letters) and the longest is "when·you·lie·down" (אִם־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "when·you·lie·down" (אִם־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב), "not·be·afraid" (לֹֽא־תִפְחָ֑ד), "and·you·shall·lie·down" (וְ֝שָׁכַבְתָּ֗). The root שכב appears 2 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root שכב ("when·you·lie·down") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root ערב ("and·shall·be·sweet") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'not·be·afraid', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִם־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב [when·you·lie·down] (763) + לֹֽא־תִפְחָ֑ד [not·be·afraid] (523) + וְ֝שָׁכַבְתָּ֗ [and·you·shall·lie·down] (728) + וְֽעָרְבָ֥ה [and·shall·be·sweet] (283) + שְׁנָתֶֽךָ [your·sleep] (770) = 3067.
Rashi
and when you lie down, your sleep shall be sweet Your sleep shall be sweet when you sleep, that you will not fear sudden terror.
Ralbag
"When you lie down" — Even while you are on the road, you will not be afraid there of a wild beast or of bandits; rather, you will lie down and your sleep will be pleasant to you.
Metzudat David
"Your sleep shall be sweet" — Like the way of one who sleeps in security, without fear.
Metzudat Zion
"And sweet" — an expression of sweetness, as in "and the offering... shall be pleasant to Hashem" (Malachi 3:4).
Malbim
"If you lie down, you shall not be afraid" — this is the trust. "And you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet" — this is the protection, that bad dreams and the other harms that occur during sleep will not terrify you. And concerning the state of waking, he says [next].
Be not afraid of sudden terror, Neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it comes;
verse value 3095
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "when" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "do·not·fear" (אַל־תִּ֭ירָא, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "do·not·fear" (אַל־תִּ֭ירָא), "and·from·destruction·of" (וּמִשֹּׁאַ֥ת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 81x in Proverbs); "when" (root כי, 51x in Proverbs); "comes" (root בוא, 35x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root פתאם ("suddenly") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'suddenly', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: אַל־תִּ֭ירָא [do·not·fear] (642) + מִפַּ֣חַד [from·terror] (132) + פִּתְאֹ֑ם [suddenly] (521) + וּמִשֹּׁאַ֥ת [and·from·destruction·of] (747) + רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים [wicked] (620) + כִּ֣י [when] (30) + תָבֹֽא [comes] (403) = 3095.
Rashi
or of the darkness when it comes upon the wicked.
Ralbag
"Be not afraid of terror" — [Namely,] the great evils that destroy suddenly; "nor of the destruction of the wicked, when it comes."
Metzudat David
"Be not afraid" — For it shall not come upon you. "When it comes" — When the calamity of the wicked comes, do not fear it, for it shall not touch you for harm.
Metzudat Zion
"And destruction" — an expression of darkness, as in "a wasteland of night, devastation and desolation" (Job 30:3).
Malbim
"Be not afraid of sudden terror" — this is the trust. And concerning the protection he says, "neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it comes" — that even if the calamity prepared to destroy the wicked should come, do not fear, for you will be saved through the providence of Hashem.
For Hashem will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.
verse value 1111
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "will·be" (יִֽהְיֶ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "for·Hashem" (כִּֽי־יְ֭הֹוָה, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "in·your·confidence" (בְכִסְלֶ֑ךָ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "and·will·keep" (root שמר, 31x in Proverbs); "will·be" (root היה, 27x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root לכד ("from·capture") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·your·confidence', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־יְ֭הֹוָה [for·Hashem] (56) + יִֽהְיֶ֣ה [will·be] (30) + בְכִסְלֶ֑ךָ [in·your·confidence] (132) + וְשָׁמַ֖ר [and·will·keep] (546) + רַגְלְךָ֣ [your·foot] (253) + מִלָּֽכֶד [from·capture] (94) = 1111.
Rashi
For the Lord shall be your trust Heb. בכסלך, in your trust. Another explanation: in the things concerning which you are a fool (כסיל). This I found in Yerushalmi.
Ralbag
"For Hashem will be" [your confidence] — in that you shall trust in Him and hope from Him, and He will watch over you to keep you from being caught in these evils. And after this he warns further, saying, "withhold not good from its owners" — from one who deserves it — when you have the power in your hand to do this good. And this is a warning that encompasses both intellectual matters and practical/civic matters. As for the intellectual matters, they warned that one should not withhold his teaching from one who comes to learn, provided he is fit for it, according to the capacity that is within his [the teacher's] means. And when he comes to request this good from you, do not answer him by saying to him, "Go and come back, and tomorrow I will give," when you have it with you [now]; rather, give it to him at once, since you have it with you and he deserves it. "In your confidence" (be-khislekha) — [meaning] in your hope.
Metzudat David
"Your confidence" — [Hashem is] that in which you shall trust and hope, and He will guard your foot from being caught.
Metzudat Zion
"Your confidence" — an expression of trust and hope, as in "whose confidence shall be cut off" (Job 8:14).
Malbim
"For Hashem will be your confidence" — The definition of "confidence" (kesel) is trust against harm, such that one takes no action at all to escape the harm, because his heart is steadfast and he does not fear. And even though, in a time of trouble, one who has such confidence and does not think to escape will easily be caught in a snare — but you: "Hashem will be your confidence," meaning that your confidence and your hope will rest in Hashem's providence, "and He will keep your foot" from being caught in a snare.
Withhold not good from him to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do it.
verse value 2134
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "in·the·power·of" (לְאֵ֖ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "do·not·withhold·good" (אַל־תִּמְנַע־ט֥וֹב, 9 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "do·not·withhold·good" (אַל־תִּמְנַע־ט֥וֹב), "from·his·owner" (מִבְּעָלָ֑יו), "when·being" (בִּֽהְי֨וֹת). The root יד appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·do" (root עשה, 34x in Proverbs); "when·being" (root היה, 27x in Proverbs); "your·hand" (root יד, 24x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root אל ("in·the·power·of") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·his·owner', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 5 words.
Rashi
Do not withhold good from the one who needs it If you see that your friend wishes to benefit the poor, do not prevent him from doing so. when you have power in your hand to stop him. Another explanation: Do not withhold good from the one who needs it Do not withhold charity from the poor man. when you have the power in your hand to do charity; perhaps a day will come when you will not have the power in your hand, and similarly...
Ibn Ezra
"Withhold not good from its owner" — [referring to] the poor person. Another interpretation: [meaning] "from the one to whom the good is due."
Metzudat David
"From him to whom it is due" — From the owner of the good, that is, from the one who comes to receive the good [deed]. "When it is [in the power of your hand]" — At the time when there is power in your hand to do the good.
Metzudat Zion
"In the power" — an expression of strength and might.
Malbim
"Withhold not good" — I have already explained in the Gan that these verses have a parable and a figurative meaning: just as, according to the parable, it is self-evident that one should not withhold good from its rightful owner — that is, from one who deserves it — when it is in the power of your hand to do it, so too one should not withhold good from the spiritual soul, whose good is the walking in the ways of Hashem, since it is in your power to do good and kindness for it.
Say not to your neighbor: ‘Go, and come again, And tomorrow I will give’; when you have it by you.
verse value 3128
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "go" (לֵ֣ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "do·not·say" (אַל־תֹּ֘אמַ֤ר, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·return" (וָ֭שׁוּב), "and·tomorrow" (וּמָחָ֥ר), "I·will·give" (אֶתֵּ֗ן). The root רע appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·your·neighbor" (root רע, 69x in Proverbs); "do·not·say" (root אמר, 45x in Proverbs); "go" (root הלך, 35x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root יש ("and·there·is") in Proverbs.
Rashi
Do not say to your fellow To the poor man. though you have it with you what to give to him. But our Sages explained: “Go and return” regarding the wages of a hireling.
Ibn Ezra
"Go, and come back" — for this is a disgraceful way [of acting].
Metzudat David
"To your neighbor" — the one seeking the favor. "Go, and come again" — go today and return tomorrow, and then I will give you what you ask. "When you have it by you" — the good thing is with you, and you are able to give it right away.
Malbim
"Say not to your neighbor: 'Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give'" — meaning, not only should you not withhold the good entirely, but it is also not proper to delay doing the good until tomorrow, since it is with you and you are able to do the good today. So too it is not proper to delay the good of the soul and to put it off until tomorrow, as it is said, "Do not say, 'When I have free time I will study'"; rather, it is fitting that you do the good while you are still in your bud, in the days of your youth.
Devise not evil against your neighbor, Seeing he dwells securely by you.
verse value 2410
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "evil" (רָעָ֑ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·dwells" (וְהֽוּא־יוֹשֵׁ֖ב, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "do·not·devise" (אַל־תַּחֲרֹ֣שׁ), "against·your·neighbor" (עַל־רֵעֲךָ֣), "and·he·dwells" (וְהֽוּא־יוֹשֵׁ֖ב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "against·your·neighbor" (root רע, 69x in Proverbs); "evil" (root רעה, 25x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root חרש ("do·not·devise") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root ישב ("and·he·dwells") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'evil', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַל־תַּחֲרֹ֣שׁ [do·not·devise] (939) + עַל־רֵעֲךָ֣ [against·your·neighbor] (390) + רָעָ֑ה [evil] (275) + וְהֽוּא־יוֹשֵׁ֖ב [and·he·dwells] (336) + לָבֶ֣טַח [securely] (49) + אִתָּֽךְ [with·you] (421) = 2410.
Rashi
Devise no harm against your fellow Heb. אל תחרש, do not think—but it does not deviate from the meaning of plowing (חרישה) ; just as it is customary for the plower to prepare a place for the time of sowing, so does one who devises harm prepare a place for devices in his heart, how he will get up and execute it.
Ralbag
"Devise not" — Do not think about, and do not endeavor to bring, evil upon your neighbor while he dwells securely with you, for this is very reprehensible.
Metzudat David
"Seeing he" — behold, he dwells with you securely, meaning he trusts you as a man trusts his fellow; so why should you devise evil against him?
Metzudat Zion
"Devise" — an expression of scheming, as in "those who plow iniquity" (Job 4:8).
Malbim
"Devise not [evil]" — this too is a parable and a figurative expression: just as it is not proper for you to devise evil against your neighbor if he dwells securely with you and has no quarrel with you, so too it is not proper for the powers of the body to devise evil against the powers of the soul, to destroy them in the pit of destruction, when it dwells securely with it; for God sent it to its body for sustenance, to do it good in its final end.
Strive not with a man without cause, If he have done you no harm.
verse value 1944
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. Verse gematria: 1944 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "without·cause" (חִנָּ֑ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "do·not·strive" (אַל־תָּרִ֣יב, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "do·not·strive" (אַל־תָּרִ֣יב), "with·a·man" (עִם־אָדָ֣ם), "has·dealt·you" (גְמָלְךָ֣). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "with·a·man" (root אדם, 44x in Proverbs); "evil" (root רעה, 25x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root ריב ("do·not·strive") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root גמל ("has·dealt·you") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'without·cause', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words.
Rashi
Do not quarrel with anyone to complain about him. if he did you no harm i.e., unless he transgressed a commandment written in the Torah. The Torah states (Lev. 19:18): “And you shall love your fellow as yourself,” but one who is wicked, you may hate.
Ralbag
"Strive not with a man without cause" — if he has not done you harm, for it is very reprehensible to complain against a person and to strive with him without cause.
Metzudat David
"He has done you harm" (gemalkha ra'ah) — even the very first act [toward someone] is called in Scripture by the term gemul ("recompense"), as in, "and if you recompense me" (Joel 3:4).
Malbim
"Strive not" — and likewise, just as it is not proper to strive with a person without cause, unless he has repaid him evil by way of retribution — for the definition of "retribution" is the soul's being stirred to hatred, so that if he did him evil but it was not by way of retribution and hatred, one is obligated to forgive him — how much more so is it not proper for the powers of the body to wage war and strife against the powers of the soul. Even though it may seem to it that it suffers harm through the powers of its soul, which restrain it from following the desires of the world and its pleasures, this is not out of hatred; rather, on the contrary, it is out of the soul's love and compassion for it.
Envy you not the man of violence, And choose none of his ways.
verse value 1942
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "violence" (חָמָ֑ס, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·all·his·ways" (בְּכׇל־דְּרָכָֽיו, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "and·do·not·choose" (וְאַל־תִּ֝בְחַ֗ר), "in·all·his·ways" (בְּכׇל־דְּרָכָֽיו). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·the·man·of" (root איש, 80x in Proverbs); "in·all·his·ways" (root דרך, 74x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root קנא ("do·not·envy") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root חמס ("violence") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'violence', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: אַל־תְּ֭קַנֵּא [do·not·envy] (582) + בְּאִ֣ישׁ [in·the·man·of] (313) + חָמָ֑ס [violence] (108) + וְאַל־תִּ֝בְחַ֗ר [and·do·not·choose] (647) + בְּכׇל־דְּרָכָֽיו [in·all·his·ways] (292) = 1942.
Rashi
Do not envy a man of violence to do as his deeds if you see him prospering.
Ralbag
"Envy you not the man of violence" — meaning: do not desire, covet, or act like him in doing violence to people, and do not choose any of his ways, for this will lead you to sin as he sins. The illustration: the man of violence sends a great gift to a king or a minister, and they honor him; but if another person wishes to do the same, he will not be able to, and he will need to oppress and do violence to people [to obtain the means]. So it is also with the rest of his ways, which are his because he is a man of violence — for the crooked man is an abomination to Hashem, may He be blessed — meaning, one who is not upright, the opposite of the upright, for He (Hashem) is attached to them (the upright).
Metzudat David
"The man of violence" — [envy not] the success of the man of violence.
Malbim
"Envy you not" — He commands him not to walk in the way of a man of violence, which includes anyone who wrongs his own soul and turns away from the path of good. And He commands him not to turn after him — neither because he might envy his success, which is why it says "envy you not the man of violence," nor because he might choose his ways out of genuine preference, thinking his ways are good in his own eyes, which is why it says "and choose none of his ways." And it explains that one who wrongs his own soul may take four forms, and it warns against all of them. 1) One who turns aside from uprightness by way of his understanding, for uprightness lies in the understanding, and so it says.
For the perverse is an abomination to Hashem; But His counsel is with the upright.
verse value 2070
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 2070 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·with·upright" (וְֽאֶת־יְשָׁרִ֥ים, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "perverse" (נָל֑וֹז), "and·with·upright" (וְֽאֶת־יְשָׁרִ֥ים), "His·counsel" (סוֹדֽוֹ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 86x in Proverbs); "for" (root כי, 51x in Proverbs); "and·with·upright" (root ישר, 35x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root תועבה ("the·abomination·of") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root סוד ("His·counsel") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'perverse', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + תוֹעֲבַ֣ת [the·abomination·of] (878) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + נָל֑וֹז [perverse] (93) + וְֽאֶת־יְשָׁרִ֥ים [and·with·upright] (967) + סוֹדֽוֹ [His·counsel] (76) = 2070.
Rashi
for the perverse is an abomination to the Lord One who is crooked in his ways. but His counsel is with the upright Heb. ואת, and with, etc.
Ibn Ezra
"His counsel is with the upright" — with the upright, His secret counsel and plan become known, from what He decrees to bring upon the wicked.
Ralbag
"The perverse" (niloz) — this is the one who strays from the proper path.
Metzudat David
"The perverse" (naloz) — one who turns aside and strays from the straight path. "But with" — with the upright He deepens the secret of His counsel, out of love for them; as it is written, "And Hashem said: Shall I hide from Abraham..." etc. (Genesis 18:17).
Metzudat Zion
"The perverse" — one who turns away from the straight path.
Malbim
"'For the perverse is an abomination to Hashem; but His counsel is with the upright'" — The upright are those whose hearts are upright and who walk in straightness in their understanding; they are lovers of Hashem, to the point that He reveals His secrets to them — the secret of the Account of Creation and the Account of the Chariot. And conversely, one who turns aside from uprightness, whose understanding goes in crooked paths, is an abomination to Hashem, for he goes out into heresy and denial of faith. 2) One who acts wickedly out of wickedness, defined as one who is evil toward the Omnipresent and toward His creatures, and whose nature inclines toward wickedness — so it says.
The curse of Hashem is in the house of the wicked; But He blesses the habitation of the righteous.
verse value 2204
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "wicked" (רָשָׁ֑ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "just" (צַדִּיקִ֣ים, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "the·curse·of" (מְאֵרַ֣ת), "and·the·pasture·of" (וּנְוֵ֖ה). 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 נוה ("and·the·pasture·of") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root ברך ("blesses") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wicked', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: מְאֵרַ֣ת [the·curse·of] (641) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + בְּבֵ֣ית [in·the·house·of] (414) + רָשָׁ֑ע [wicked] (570) + וּנְוֵ֖ה [and·the·pasture·of] (67) + צַדִּיקִ֣ים [just] (254) + יְבָרֵֽךְ [blesses] (232) = 2204.
Ibn Ezra
"The curse" (מארת) — from the root ארור ("cursed"), and it denotes deficiency.
Ralbag
"The curse" (me'erat) — the curse of Hashem is found in the house of the wicked, and He blesses the habitation of the righteous. Now he said "the wicked" in the singular, because the curse does not necessarily extend to all the wicked; hence, many times a wicked person is wicked, yet things go well for him. The blessing of Hashem was in the house of all the righteous who are worthy of it — those to whom divine providence is attached — as we explained the reason for all this in the fourth [treatise] of the book, chapter fifty (מ"י).
Metzudat David
"The curse of Hashem" — that is, the wealth that is in the house of the wicked is the curse of Hashem, for it is stored up for his harm, and so it is counted as a curse. "He blesses" — refers back to Hashem, meaning that He blesses that which is in the habitation of the righteous; that is, it is counted as a blessing, for they bestow of their goods upon the poor and receive reward.
Metzudat Zion
"The curse" — related to the word "arur" [cursed]. "And the habitation" — a dwelling place, as in "the everlasting habitation" (Jeremiah 49:19).
Malbim
"'The curse of Hashem is in the house of the wicked'" — that even if you see that the wicked man has a permanent house, know that the curse of Hashem will rest upon it, to diminish it, to reduce it, and to destroy it. "'But He blesses the habitation [naveh] of the righteous'" — the righteous, even though they have no permanent house but only a "naveh," which indicates a shepherd's encampment and a temporary tent, nevertheless Hashem will bless even their dwelling. 3) One who wrongs his own soul through the trait of scoffing, whose way is to mock the laws of wisdom because he does not grasp their reason, and imagines in his arrogance that anything whose reason he cannot grasp has no substance — so it says.
If it concerns the scorners, He scorns them, But to the humble He gives grace.
verse value 1339
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 33 letters. Verse gematria: 1339 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "gives·grace" (יִתֶּן־חֵֽן, 5 letters) and the longest is "if·to·the·scorners" (אִם־לַלֵּצִ֥ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "if·to·the·scorners" (אִם־לַלֵּצִ֥ים), "He·scorns" (הֽוּא־יָלִ֑יץ), "and·to·the·humble" (וְ֝לַעֲנָוִ֗ים). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "gives·grace" (root נתן, 34x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root ליץ ("He·scorns") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root ענו ("and·to·the·humble") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'He·scorns', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words.
Rashi
If [one goes] to the scoffers If a person is attracted to them, he too will scoff with them. but [if he goes] to the humble, he evokes grace If he joins the humble, eventually his deeds will evoke grace in people’s eyes.
Ibn Ezra
"If it concerns scorners" — this verse is connected to the one above, and "scorners" (לצים) is from the [root of] "ליצנות" (scorning/mockery). "He scorns" (יליץ) — from the same [root] as "the interpreter" (המליץ, Genesis 42:23). The explanation: Hashem blesses the abode of the righteous. "If it concerns scorners" — the righteous person speaks [about them], warning [people] to turn away from the way of scorning; and "to the humble" — and to those who rebuke, He gives favor, meaning He grants them favor in the eyes of every person; and the humble are those who are modest, refraining from speaking scornfully. Another interpretation: "If it concerns scorners" — Hashem scorns [them], [meaning] He gives the recompense for scorning. "And to the humble He gives grace" — meaning, favor and kindness to them.
Ralbag
"If it concerns the scorners" — behold, as for the scorners who mock and deride people, Hashem will cause others to deride them when their calamity comes; but to the humble, who honor even lowly people, Hashem will give them favor in the eyes of people.
Metzudat David
"If it concerns the scorners" — that is, He repays each person measure for measure: if it concerns the scorners who mock people, He brings about a cause that others will mock them when their day of calamity comes. "But to the humble" — who are humble in spirit and honor every person, He grants them favor in everyone's eyes, and they are honored.
Malbim
"'If it concerns the scorners, He scorns them'" — Hashem will bring it about that he becomes an object of scorn and gossip in the mouths of all people, and this is measure for measure. "'But to the humble He gives grace'" — but to the humble, who do not act arrogantly so as to dispute the laws of wisdom, since out of their humility they know that their intellect is too limited to grasp its hidden depths, Hashem will grant that they find favor in the eyes of people. 4) If the one who wrongs his own soul belongs to the category of fools, defined as one who disputes the laws of wisdom because he chooses to follow his desires even though he knows the laws of wisdom — so it says.
The wise shall inherit honor; But as for the fools, they carry away shame.
verse value 906
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "glory" (כָּ֭בוֹד, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·fools" (וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Proverbs. Unique to this verse in Proverbs (hapax): "inherit" (יִנְחָ֑לוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wise" (root חכם, 93x in Proverbs); "and·fools" (root כסיל, 49x in Proverbs). First appearance of the root נחל ("inherit") in Proverbs. First appearance of the root רום ("carries·away") in Proverbs. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'inherit', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כָּ֭בוֹד [glory] (32) + חֲכָמִ֣ים [wise] (118) + יִנְחָ֑לוּ [inherit] (104) + וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים [and·fools] (176) + מֵרִ֥ים [carries·away] (290) + קָלֽוֹן [shame] (186) = 906.
Rashi
The wise shall inherit honor, but the fools take disgrace as their portion For himself, he takes disgrace for his portion.
Ibn Ezra
"Honor" — Hashem grants them, as an inheritance, the honor of wealth and riches; but as for the fools, shame is raised up over them. And the meaning is: that they cause other people to hold them in contempt. "Carries away shame" (מרים קלון) — it speaks distributively of each one [individually], like "but the righteous is as bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1). Another interpretation: "a fool exalts and honors [only] a man." "Shame" (קלון) — like "pride comes" (Proverbs 11:2), lacking [the word] "a man" (איש).
Ralbag
"The wise shall inherit honor" — for people will honor them, while each one of the fools raises up shame for himself. Or, he spoke by way of exaggeration: that the very intensity of the shame they inherit on account of their folly separates and removes them from the place where they are known. "Honor" ... "shame lifts them up" — the shame removes them; or he means by it that each of the fools raises and lifts up the shame upon himself, on account of his folly.
Metzudat David
"Shall inherit" — they inherit honor for themselves. "Carry away" — each one sets aside shame as his own portion.
Metzudat Zion
"Carries away" — related to the terms "terumah" [heave offering] and setting aside/raising up. "Shame" — disgrace, and it is related to the word "roasted by fire" (Leviticus 2:14), because on account of disgrace the face reddens as if it were scorched by fire; or alternatively, it is related to the word "lightness/contempt."
Malbim
"'The wise shall inherit honor'" — the wise, those who conduct themselves by the laws of wisdom, will inherit honor, for the honor of the soul shines within them so that they rise above disgrace — which is desire, the soul's debasement and shame — and this honor will be an eternal inheritance for them, just as the soul is eternal. "'But as for the fools, shame lifts them up'" — for desire, which is the soul's disgrace and shame, lifts them up to dispute the honor of the soul and to debase it before something trivial and contemptible — namely, the desires of matter and the animal soul — and through this they come to dispute the laws of wisdom, for the images of disgrace and desire rise up from the depths of the soul and ascend over the surface of the heart, overpowering the images of honor and wisdom; and their end is continual disgrace and reproach.
Ibn Ezra
Metzudat David
Malbim