Proverbs

Proverbs 8:27–31

²⁷I was there when He established the heavens,

when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸when He established the clouds above,

when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

²⁹when He set a boundary for the sea,

so that the waters would not surpass His command,

when He marked out the foundations of the earth.

³⁰Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side,

and His delight^d day by day,

rejoicing always in His presence.

³¹I was rejoicing in His whole world,

delighting together in the sons of men.

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
I	אָ֑נִי	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
was there	שָׁ֣ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
when He established	בַּהֲכִינ֣וֹ	ba·hă·ḵî·nōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H3559 be firm
the heavens	שָׁ֭מַיִם	šā·ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
when He inscribed	בְּח֥וּקוֹ	bə·ḥū·qōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H2710 cut in, inscribe, decree
a circle	ח֝֗וּג	ḥūḡ	Noun - masculine singular	H2329 vault
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the face	פְּנֵ֥י	pə·nê	Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
of the deep	תְהֽוֹם׃	ṯə·hō·wm	Noun - common singular	H8415 deep, sea, abyss

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
when He established	בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ	bə·’am·mə·ṣōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H553 be alert
the clouds	שְׁחָקִ֣ים	šə·ḥā·qîm	Noun - masculine plural	H7834 dust, cloud
above	מִמָּ֑עַל	mim·mā·‘al	Preposition-m; Adverb	H4605 higher part
when the fountains	עִינ֥וֹת	‘î·nō·wṯ	Noun - common plural construct	H5869 eye
of the deep	תְּהוֹם׃	tə·hōm	Noun - common singular	H8415 deep, sea, abyss
gushed forth	בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז	ba·‘ă·zō·wz	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5810 be strong

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
when He set	בְּשׂ֘וּמ֤וֹ	bə·śū·mōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
a boundary	חֻקּ֗וֹ	ḥuq·qōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2706 something prescribed, a statute or due
for the sea	לַיָּ֨ם׀	lay·yām	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3220 sea
so that the waters	וּ֭מַיִם	ū·ma·yim	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
would not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
surpass	יַֽעַבְרוּ־	ya·‘aḇ·rū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
His command	פִ֑יו	p̄îw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
when He marked out	בְּ֝חוּק֗וֹ	bə·ḥū·qōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H2710 cut in, inscribe, decree
the foundations	מ֣וֹסְדֵי	mō·ws·ḏê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4144 foundation
of the earth	אָֽרֶץ׃	’ā·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then I was	וָֽאֶהְיֶ֥ה	wā·’eh·yeh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a skilled craftsman	אָ֫מ֥וֹן	’ā·mō·wn	Noun - masculine singular	H525 artificer, architect, master-workman
at His side	אֶצְל֗וֹ	’eṣ·lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H681 conjunction, proximity
and	וָֽאֶהְיֶ֣ה	wā·’eh·yeh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
His delight	שַׁ֭עֲשֻׁעִים	‘ă·šu·‘îm	Noun - masculine plural	H8191 enjoyment
day	י֤וֹם׀	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
day	י֑וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
rejoicing	מְשַׂחֶ֖קֶת	mə·śa·ḥe·qeṯ	Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular	H7832 laugh
always	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
in His presence	לְפָנָ֣יו	lə·p̄ā·nāw	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I was rejoicing	מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת	mə·śa·ḥe·qeṯ	Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular	H7832 laugh
in His whole world	בְּתֵבֵ֣ל	bə·ṯê·ḇêl	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H8398 world
delighting	וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י	wə·ša·‘ă·šu·‘ay	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H8191 enjoyment
together	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Preposition	H854 with
in the sons	בְּנֵ֥י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of men	אָדָֽם׃פ	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind