Proverbs 10:21

American Standard Version (1901)

The lips of the righteous feed many; But the foolish die for lack of understanding.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

שִׂפְתֵ֣י צַ֭דִּיק יִרְע֣וּ רַבִּ֑ים וֶֽאֱוִילִ֗ים בַּחֲסַר־לֵ֥ב יָמֽוּתוּ׃

Transliteration

śiptêy ṣaddîq yirʿû rabbîm we-ʾĕwîlîm baḥăsar-lēb yāmûtû

Grammar Details

• *śiptêy*: feminine dual construct - lips of
• *ṣaddîq*: masculine singular adjective - righteous
• *yirʿû*: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural - feed/shepherd
• *rabbîm*: masculine plural adjective - many
• *we-ʾĕwîlîm*: conjunction + masculine plural noun - and fools
• *baḥăsar*: preposition + masculine singular construct - in lack of
• *lēb*: masculine singular noun - heart/understanding
• *yāmûtû*: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural - they die

Word Meanings

• *śiptêy*: lips/speech/words
• *ṣaddîq*: righteous/just/lawful
• *yirʿû*: feed/shepherd/nourish/sustain
• *rabbîm*: many/great/numerous
• *ʾĕwîlîm*: fools/silly ones/simpletons
• *ḥăsar*: lack/want/absence
• *lēb*: heart/mind/understanding
• *yāmûtû*: they die/perish/expire

Referenced Verses

• Hos 4:6 : 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.
• Prov 5:23 : 23 He shall die for lack of instruction; And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
• Job 4:3-4 : 3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, And thou hast strengthened the weak hands. 4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, And thou hast made firm the feeble knees.
• Job 23:12 : 12 I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
• Job 29:21-22 : 21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. 22 After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them.
• Ps 37:30 : 30 The mouth of the righteous talketh of wisdom, And his tongue speaketh justice.
• Prov 1:29 : 29 For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of Jehovah:
• Prov 1:31 : 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices.
• Prov 5:12 : 12 And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof;
• Prov 12:18 : 18 There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health.
• Prov 15:4 : 4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life; But perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.
• Prov 17:16 : 16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he hath no understanding?
• Eccl 12:9-9 : 9 And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, [even] words of truth.
• Jer 3:15 : 15 and I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
• Jer 15:16 : 16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Jehovah, God of hosts.
• Matt 13:19 : 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, [then] cometh the evil [one], and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side.
• John 3:19-20 : 19 And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.
• John 21:15-17 : 15 So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again a second time, Simon, [son] of John, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
• Rom 1:28 : 28 And even as they refused to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
• 1 Pet 5:2 : 2 Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to [the will of] God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;