Proverbs

Proverbs 23:19–22

¹⁹Listen, my son, and be wise,

and guide your heart on the right course.

²⁰Do not join those who drink too much wine

or gorge themselves on meat.

²¹For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,

and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

²²Listen to your father who gave you life,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

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
Listen	שְׁמַע־	šə·ma‘-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8085 hear
my son	בְנִ֣י	ḇə·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1121 son
and be wise	וַחֲכָ֑ם	wa·ḥă·ḵām	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H2449 be wise
and guide	וְאַשֵּׁ֖ר	wə·’aš·šêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H833 go straight, go on, advance
your heart	לִבֶּֽךָ׃	lib·be·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
on the right course	בַּדֶּ֣רֶךְ	bad·de·reḵ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - common singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
join	תְּהִ֥י	tə·hî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
those who drink too much	בְסֹֽבְאֵי־	ḇə·sō·ḇə·’ê-	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H5433 imbibe, drink largely
wine	יָ֑יִן	yā·yin	Noun - masculine singular	H3196 wine
or gorge	בְּזֹלֲלֵ֖י	bə·zō·lă·lê	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H2151 shake
themselves on meat	בָשָׂ֣ר	ḇā·śār	Noun - masculine singular	H1320 flesh

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the drunkard	סֹבֵ֣א	sō·ḇê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5433 imbibe, drink largely
and the glutton	וְ֭זוֹלֵל	wə·zō·w·lêl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2151 shake
will come to poverty	יִוָּרֵ֑שׁ	yiw·wā·rêš	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess
and drowsiness	נוּמָֽה׃	nū·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H5124 somnolence
will clothe them	תַּלְבִּ֥ישׁ	tal·bîš	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3847 put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
in rags	וּ֝קְרָעִ֗ים	ū·qə·rā·‘îm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H7168 torn piece

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Listen	שְׁמַ֣ע	šə·ma‘	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8085 hear
to your father	לְ֭אָבִיךָ	lə·’ā·ḇî·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1 father
who	זֶ֣ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
gave you life	יְלָדֶ֑ךָ	yə·lā·ḏe·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
and do not	וְאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
despise	תָּ֝ב֗וּז	tā·ḇūz	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H936 despise
your mother	אִמֶּֽךָ׃	’im·me·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H517 mother
when	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
she is old	זָקְנָ֥ה	zā·qə·nāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H2204 be or become old