Proverbs

Proverbs 23:22–25

²²Listen to your father who gave you life,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

²³Invest in truth and never sell it—

in wisdom and instruction and understanding.

²⁴The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice,

and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.

²⁵May your father and mother be glad,

and may she who gave you birth rejoice!

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	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

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Invest in	קְ֭נֵה	qə·nêh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7069 get, acquire
truth	אֱמֶ֣ת	’ĕ·meṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth
and never	וְאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
sell it	תִּמְכֹּ֑ר	tim·kōr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H4376 sell
in wisdom	חָכְמָ֖ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
and instruction	וּמוּסָ֣ר	ū·mū·sār	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H4148 discipline
and understanding	וּבִינָֽה׃	ū·ḇî·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H998 understanding

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The father	אֲבִ֣י	’ă·ḇî	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1 father
of a righteous man	צַדִּ֑יק	ṣad·dîq	Adjective - masculine singular	H6662 just, righteous
will greatly rejoice	גּוֹל	gōl	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H1523 rejoice
and he who fathers	יוֹלֵד	yō·lēḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
a wise son	חָ֝כָ֗ם	ḥā·ḵām	Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
will delight in him	וְיִשְׂמַח	wə·yiś·maḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8055 rejoice, be glad

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May your father	אָבִ֥יךָ	’ā·ḇî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1 father
and mother	וְאִמֶּ֑ךָ	wə·’im·me·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H517 mother
be glad	יִֽשְׂמַח־	yiś·maḥ-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8055 rejoice, be glad
and may she who gave you birth	יֽוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ׃	yō·w·laḏ·te·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
rejoice	וְ֝תָגֵ֗ל	wə·ṯā·ḡêl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular	H1523 rejoice