Proverbs

Proverbs 18:4–7

⁴The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;

the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

⁵Showing partiality^a to the wicked is not good,

nor is depriving the innocent of justice.

⁶A fool’s lips bring him strife,

and his mouth invites a beating.

⁷A fool’s mouth is his ruin,

and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The words	דִּבְרֵ֣י	diḇ·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
of a man’s	אִ֑ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
mouth	פִי־	p̄î-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6310 mouth
are deep	עֲ֭מֻקִּים	‘ă·muq·qîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H6013 deep
waters	מַ֣יִם	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
the fountain	מְק֣וֹר	mə·qō·wr	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4726 spring, fountain
of wisdom	חָכְמָֽה׃	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
is a bubbling	נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ	nō·ḇê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5042 flow, spring, bubble up
brook	נַ֥חַל	na·ḥal	Noun - masculine singular	H5158 torrent, torrent-valley, wady

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Showing partiality	שְׂאֵ֣ת	śə·’êṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5375 lift, take, carry
to the wicked	רָשָׁ֣ע	rā·šā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7563 wicked, criminal
is not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
good	ט֑וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
nor is depriving	לְהַטּ֥וֹת	lə·haṭ·ṭō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
the innocent	צַ֝דִּ֗יק	ṣad·dîq	Adjective - masculine singular	H6662 just, righteous
of justice	בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃	bam·miš·pāṭ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A fool’s	כְ֭סִיל	ḵə·sîl	Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
lips	שִׂפְתֵ֣י	śip̄·ṯê	Noun - feminine dual construct	H8193 lip, speech, edge
bring him	יָבֹ֣אֽוּ	yā·ḇō·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
strife	בְרִ֑יב	ḇə·rîḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H7379 strife, dispute
and his mouth	וּ֝פִ֗יו	ū·p̄îw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
invites	יִקְרָֽא׃	yiq·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
a beating	לְֽמַהֲלֻמ֥וֹת	lə·ma·hă·lu·mō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine plural	H4112 blow

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A fool’s	כְ֭סִיל	ḵə·sîl	Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
mouth	פִּֽי־	pî-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6310 mouth
is his ruin	מְחִתָּה־	mə·ḥit·tāh-	Noun - feminine singular	H4288 terror, destruction, ruin
and his lips	וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו	ū·śə·p̄ā·ṯāw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine dual construct; third person masculine singular	H8193 lip, speech, edge
a snare	מוֹקֵ֥שׁ	mō·w·qêš	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4170 a bait or lure
to his soul	נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃	nap̄·šōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion