Proverbs 10

Poetry is always a respite from prose. Here is the first chapter of the collections of proverbs.
Where there is a comma, you may need to supply a verb. As in Hebrew poetry, I have tried to be terse. The parallels between the pairs of parts are not necessarily read in the traditional way. What seems contrasting may be complementary or even similar. What seems similar may be contrasting. And there may be no parallel. Sometimes there is one subject rather than two.

As usual, recurring words are significant, marking off borders within the collection. e.g. verses 13-21 surrounding 17-19 may form a unit based on recurrence patterns. As an exercise, highlight the body parts. It's what we do in the body that counts, not just what we think or imagine or fantasize.

Sometimes in any form, a proverb is perplexing to me. One of my teachers insisted that the translation 'make sense'. Sometimes I cannot make sense of it. Like verse 1. I know lots of troubled children. And we all do or have done stupid things. So take care with universal implications. Here the proverb makes grammatical sense, but what it means perplexes me.

Proverbs 10		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
מִשְׁלֵ֗י שְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה בֵּ֣ן חָ֭כָם יְשַׂמַּח־אָ֑ב וּבֵ֥ן כְּ֝סִ֗יל תּוּגַ֥ת אִמּֽוֹ	1		The proverbs of Solomon. A wise child makes a father glad, and a stupid child is a sadness of its mother.	3e	4B	5 7 8
לֹא־י֭וֹעִילוּ אוֹצְר֣וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה תַּצִּ֥יל מִמָּֽוֶת	2		Not of use, funds of wickedness, but righteousness delivers from death.	3e	4B	7 8
לֹֽא־יַרְעִ֣יב יְ֭הוָה נֶ֣פֶשׁ צַדִּ֑יק וְהַוַּ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים יֶהְדֹּֽף	3		Yahweh will not starve the integrity of a righteous one, but the calamities of the wicked he drives out.	3e	4B	9 8
רָ֗אשׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה כַף־רְמִיָּ֑ה וְיַ֖ד חָרוּצִ֣ים תַּעֲשִֽׁיר	4	~	In want, who deals with a deceitful palm, but the hand of the decisive enriches.	3e	4B	8 8
אֹגֵ֣ר בַּ֭קַּיִץ בֵּ֣ן מַשְׂכִּ֑יל נִרְדָּ֥ם בַּ֝קָּצִ֗יר בֵּ֣ן מֵבִֽישׁ	5		Stockpiling in summer is a child of insight. Entranced at the harvest is a child that causes shame.	3e	4B	7 8
בְּ֭רָכוֹת לְרֹ֣אשׁ צַדִּ֑יק וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְכַסֶּ֥ה חָמָֽס	6	g	Blessings are for the head of a righteous one, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.	3e	4B	7 10
זֵ֣כֶר צַ֭דִּיק לִבְרָכָ֑ה וְשֵׁ֖ם רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְקָֽב	7	B	The memory of a righteous one is for blessing, but the name of the wicked will decline.	3e	4B	7 7
חֲכַם־לֵ֭ב יִקַּ֣ח מִצְוֺ֑ת וֶאֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יִלָּבֵֽט	8		Wise of heart will take commandment, but obstinate lips will be thrown headlong.	3e	4B	7 9
הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בַּ֭תֹּם יֵ֣לֶךְ בֶּ֑טַח וּמְעַקֵּ֥שׁ דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו יִוָּדֵֽעַ	9		One walking in completeness walks in trust, but one who is devious in its ways will be known.	3e	4B	8 10
קֹ֣רֵֽץ עַ֭יִן יִתֵּ֣ן עַצָּ֑בֶת וֶאֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יִלָּבֵֽט	10	B	The wink of an eye gives hardship, but obstinate lips will be thrown headlong.	3e	4B	8 9
מְק֣וֹר חַ֭יִּים פִּ֣י צַדִּ֑יק וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְכַסֶּ֥ה חָמָֽס	11	B	A fountain of life, the mouth of a righteous one, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.	3e	4B	7 10
שִׂ֭נְאָה תְּעוֹרֵ֣ר מְדָנִ֑ים וְעַ֥ל כָּל־פְּ֝שָׁעִ֗ים תְּכַסֶּ֥ה אַהֲבָֽה	12	g	Hatred unleashes dissension, but over all transgressions, love covers.	3e	4B	8 12
בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י נָ֭בוֹן תִּמָּצֵ֣א חָכְמָ֑ה וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו חֲסַר־לֵֽב	13		In the lips of understanding you will find wisdom, and a sceptre for the body lacking of heart.	3e	4B	10 8
חֲכָמִ֥ים יִצְפְּנוּ־דָ֑עַת וּפִֽי־אֱ֝וִיל מְחִתָּ֥ה קְרֹבָֽה	14		The shrewd treasure knowledge, but the mouth of the obstinate draws near disarray.	3e	4A	7 9
ה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ מְחִתַּ֖ת דַּלִּ֣ים רֵישָֽׁם	15	B	The value of one who is rich, the town of his strength. Dismay among the weak, their want.	3e	4B	7 7
פְּעֻלַּ֣ת צַדִּ֣יק לְחַיִּ֑ים תְּבוּאַ֖ת רָשָׁ֣ע לְחַטָּֽאת	16		The works of a righteous one are for life. The income of wickedness is for sin.	3e	4B	8 8
אֹ֣רַח לְ֭חַיִּים שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מוּסָ֑ר וְעוֹזֵ֖ב תּוֹכַ֣חַת מַתְעֶֽה	17	B	A path for life, watching for warning, but one who defers correction is wandering.	3e	4B	9 8
מְכַסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה שִׂפְתֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר וּמוֹצִ֥א דִ֝בָּ֗ה ה֣וּא כְסִֽיל	18		One covering hatred, lips of falsehood, and what emerges from defamation, it is stupid.	3e	4B	8 8
בְּרֹ֣ב דְּ֭בָרִים לֹ֣א יֶחְדַּל־פָּ֑שַׁע וְחֹשֵׂ֖ךְ שְׂפָתָ֣יו מַשְׂכִּֽיל	19		In many words transgression will not be left alone, but one who resists lips has insight.	3e	4B	10 8
כֶּ֣סֶף נִ֭בְחָר לְשׁ֣וֹן צַדִּ֑יק לֵ֖ב רְשָׁעִ֣ים כִּמְעָֽט	20	B	Choice silver, the tongue of a righteous one. The heart of the wicked, insignificant.	3e	4B	8 6
שִׂפְתֵ֣י צַ֭דִּיק יִרְע֣וּ רַבִּ֑ים וֶֽ֝אֱוִילִ֗ים בַּחֲסַר־לֵ֥ב יָמֽוּתוּ	21		The lips of a righteous one tend many, but the foolish, lacking in heart, die.	3e	4B	8 11
בִּרְכַּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה הִ֣יא תַעֲשִׁ֑יר וְלֹֽא־יוֹסִ֖ף עֶ֣צֶב עִמָּֽהּ	22		The blessing of Yahweh, it enriches, and he adds no hardship with it.	3e	4B	8 7
כִּשְׂח֣וֹק לִ֭כְסִיל עֲשׂ֣וֹת זִמָּ֑ה וְ֝חָכְמָ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה	23		As laughter for a dullard, doing an agenda, but wisdom to each is discernment.	3e	4B	8 8
מְגוֹרַ֣ת רָ֭שָׁע הִ֣יא תְבוֹאֶ֑נּוּ וְתַאֲוַ֖ת צַדִּיקִ֣ים יִתֵּֽן	24		The terror of wickedness, it will come to them. But the desire of the righteous, it will give.	3e	4B	10 9
כַּעֲב֣וֹר ס֭וּפָה וְאֵ֣ין רָשָׁ֑ע וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק יְס֣וֹד עוֹלָֽם	25		As storm-wind passes through, and there is no wicked one, yet the righteous one is a foundation forever.	3e	4B	9 7
כַּחֹ֤מֶץ ׀ לַשִּׁנַּ֗יִם וְכֶעָשָׁ֥ן לָעֵינָ֑יִם כֵּ֥ן הֶ֝עָצֵ֗ל לְשֹׁלְחָֽיו	26		As vinegar to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes, so the sloth to its sender.	3e	4C	14 7
יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה תּוֹסִ֣יף יָמִ֑ים וּשְׁנ֖וֹת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּקְצֹֽרְנָה	27		The fear of Yahweh adds to days, but the years of the wicked are reaped.	3e	4B	8 8
תּוֹחֶ֣לֶת צַדִּיקִ֣ים שִׂמְחָ֑ה וְתִקְוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד	28		The hope of the righteous, gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.	3e	4B	8 8
מָע֣וֹז לַ֭תֹּם דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֑ה וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן	29	B	Strong to the complete, the way of Yahweh, but disarray for the workers of mischief.	3e	4B	8 9
צַדִּ֣יק לְעוֹלָ֣ם בַּל־יִמּ֑וֹט וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִשְׁכְּנוּ־אָֽרֶץ	30		A righteous one is forever, so will not be moved, but the wicked will not dwell on earth.	3e	4B	8 8
פִּֽי־צַ֭דִּיק יָנ֣וּב חָכְמָ֑ה וּלְשׁ֥וֹן תַּ֝הְפֻּכ֗וֹת תִּכָּרֵֽת	31		The mouth of a righteous one profits wisdom, but the tongue of changeable things will be cut off.	3e	4B	6 8
שִׂפְתֵ֣י צַ֭דִּיק יֵדְע֣וּן רָצ֑וֹן וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת	32		The lips of a righteous one know favour, but the mouth of the wicked, changeable things.	3e	4B	8 8