Proverbs 31:26

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

She has opened her mouth with wisdom, with loving instruction on her tongue.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

פִּ֭יהָ פָּתְחָ֣ה בְחָכְמָ֑ה וְתֽ‪[m]‬וֹרַת חֶ֝֗סֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ

Transliteration

pîhā pātĕḥāh bĕḥokmāh wĕtôrat ḥesed ʿal-lĕšônāh

Grammar Details

• *pîhā*: noun, masculine singular with 3rd feminine singular suffix - her mouth
• *pātĕḥāh*: verb, Qal perfect 3rd feminine singular - she opens
• *bĕḥokmāh*: preposition *bĕ* + noun, feminine singular - with wisdom
• *wĕtôrat*: conjunction *wə* + noun, feminine singular construct - and instruction of
• *ḥesed*: noun, masculine singular - kindness/faithfulness
• *ʿal*: preposition - on/upon
• *lĕšônāh*: noun, feminine singular with 3rd feminine singular suffix - her tongue

Word Meanings

• *pîhā*: her mouth/speech
• *pātĕḥāh*: she opens/speaks/begins to speak
• *ḥokmāh*: wisdom/skill/good judgment
• *tôrat*: instruction/teaching/law
• *ḥesed*: kindness/mercy/faithfulness/covenant loyalty
• *lĕšônāh*: her tongue/language/speech

Referenced Verses

• Prov 10:31 : 31 The speech of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom, but the one who speaks perversion will be destroyed.
• Eph 4:29 : 29 You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it would give grace to those who hear.
• Col 4:5 : 5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities.
• 1 Pet 3:1 : 1 Wives and Husbands In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live,
• 1 Pet 3:4-5 : 4 but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. 5 For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands,
• 1 Pet 3:8-9 : 8 Suffering for Doing Good Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. 9 Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing.
• Prov 12:18 : 18 Speaking recklessly is like the thrusts of a sword, but the words of the wise bring healing.
• Prov 16:24 : 24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
• Prov 25:15 : 15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a soft tongue can break a bone.
• Prov 31:8-9 : 8 Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying. 9 Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
• Song 2:14 : 14 The Dove in the Clefts of En GediThe Lover to His Beloved: O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountain crags, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
• Song 4:11 : 11 Your lips drip sweetness like the honeycomb, my bride, honey and milk are under your tongue. The fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
• Mal 2:6 : 6 He taught what was true; sinful words were not found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and integrity, and he turned many people away from sin.
• Luke 1:38 : 38 So Mary said,“Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
• Luke 1:42-56 : 42 She exclaimed with a loud voice,“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! 43 And who am I that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? 44 For the instant the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” 46 Mary’s Hymn of Praise And Mary said,“My soul exalts the Lord, 47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior, 48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; 50 from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him. 51 He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts. 52 He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, 55 as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 56 So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home.
• Acts 6:15 : 15 All who were sitting in the council looked intently at Stephen and saw his face was like the face of an angel.
• Acts 18:26 : 26 He began to speak out fearlessly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.
• Judg 13:23 : 23 But his wife said to him,“If the LORD wanted to kill us, he would not have accepted the burnt offering and the grain offering from us. He would not have shown us all these things, or have spoken to us like this just now.”
• 1 Sam 25:24-31 : 24 Falling at his feet, she said,“My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak to you! Please listen to the words of your servant! 25 My lord should not pay attention to this wicked man Nabal. He simply lives up to his name! His name means‘fool,’ and he is indeed foolish! But I, your servant, did not see the servants my lord sent. 26 “Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and as surely as you live, it is the LORD who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands. Now may your enemies and those who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal. 27 Now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the servants who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the sin of your servant, for the LORD will certainly establish a lasting dynasty for my lord, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD. May no evil be found in you all your days! 29 When someone sets out to chase you and to take your life, the life of my lord will be wrapped securely in the bag of the living by the LORD your God. But he will sling away the lives of your enemies from the sling’s pocket! 30 The LORD will do for my lord everything that he promised you, and he will make you a leader over Israel. 31 Your conscience will not be overwhelmed with guilt for having poured out innocent blood and for having taken matters into your own hands. When the LORD has granted my lord success, please remember your servant.”
• 2 Sam 20:16-22 : 16 a wise woman called out from the city,“Listen up! Listen up! Tell Joab,‘Come near so that I may speak to you.’” 17 When he approached her, the woman asked,“Are you Joab?” He replied,“I am.” She said to him,“Listen to the words of your servant.” He said,“Go ahead. I’m listening.” 18 She said,“In the past they would always say,‘Let them inquire in Abel,’ and that is how they settled things. 19 I represent the peaceful and the faithful in Israel. You are attempting to destroy an important city in Israel. Why should you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?” 20 Joab answered,“Get serious! I don’t want to swallow up or destroy anything! 21 That’s not the way things are. There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bicri. He has rebelled against King David. Give me just this one man, and I will leave the city.” The woman said to Joab,“This very minute his head will be thrown over the wall to you!” 22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it out to Joab. Joab blew the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each going to his own home. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
• 2 Kgs 22:15-20 : 15 and she said to them:“This is what the LORD God of Israel has said:‘Say this to the man who sent you to me: 16 “This is what the LORD has said:‘I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, all the things in the scroll which the king of Judah has read. 17 This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made. My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’” 18 Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the LORD:“This is what the LORD God of Israel has said concerning the words you have heard: 19 ‘You displayed a sensitive spirit and humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard how I intended to make this place and its residents into an appalling example of an accursed people. You tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the LORD. 20 ‘Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace. You will not have to witness all the disaster I will bring on this place.’”’” Then they reported back to the king.
• Esth 4:4 : 4 When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai’s behavior, the queen was overcome with anguish. Although she sent garments for Mordecai to put on so that he could remove his sackcloth, he would not accept them.
• Esth 5:8 : 8 If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined to grant my request and perform my petition, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time I will do as the king wishes.”
• Esth 7:3-6 : 3 Queen Esther replied,“If I have met with your approval, O king, and if the king is so inclined, grant me my life as my request, and my people as my petition. 4 For we have been sold– both I and my people– to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation! If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king.” 5 Then King Ahasuerus responded to Queen Esther,“Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough to act in this way?” 6 Esther replied,“The oppressor and enemy is this evil Haman!”Then Haman became terrified in the presence of the king and queen.
• Esth 8:3-6 : 3 Then Esther again spoke with the king, falling at his feet. She wept and begged him for mercy, that he might nullify the evil of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had intended against the Jews. 4 When the king extended to Esther the gold scepter, she arose and stood before the king. 5 She said,“If the king is so inclined and if I have met with his approval and if the matter is agreeable to the king and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”
• Gen 24:18-20 : 18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 19 When she had done so, she said,“I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 20 She quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels.