עֹוכֵ֣ר בֵּ֭יתֹו יִנְחַל־ר֑וּחַ וְעֶ֥בֶד אֱ֝וִ֗יל לַחֲכַם־לֵֽב׃
(Proverbs 11:29)
The one who troubles his household will inherit wind, and a foolish servant will be servant to the wise of heart.
Trouble at Home, Wisdom in Chains
This proverb presents two striking images: a man whose turmoil brings only the intangible wind as an inheritance, and a foolish servant who ends up serving someone wiser. Behind the poetry lies a compelling case of participial structure and verbless nominal syntax that sheds light on Hebrew’s subtle and powerful grammatical features.
The Grammatical Anchor: Participles and Verbless Clauses
The verse is composed of two halves:
- עֹוכֵ֣ר בֵּ֭יתֹו יִנְחַל־ר֑וּחַ: “The one who troubles his household will inherit wind”
- וְעֶ֥בֶד אֱ֝וִ֗יל לַחֲכַם־לֵֽב: “And a foolish servant to the wise of heart”
The first half uses a participle (עֹוכֵ֣ר) to describe a habitual or characteristic action. The second half is a verbless clause (a nominal sentence), where no explicit verb like “will be” is supplied, yet it is implied in the syntax. Let us examine both phenomena in more detail.
Dissecting the Participle: עֹוכֵ֣ר
עֹוכֵ֣ר is a Qal masculine singular participle of the root ע־כ־ר, meaning “to trouble” or “to stir up.” In Biblical Hebrew, the participle often functions in ways similar to English present tense or continuous aspect:
- It can describe an ongoing or repeated action.
- It may act like a noun (“the one who…”), especially when not attached to a subject pronoun.
In this context, עֹוכֵ֣ר is used substantivally—“the one who troubles”—pointing to someone whose continual disturbance of his household leads to futility.
Summary Table: Parsing עֹוכֵ֣ר
| Form | Root | Stem | Gender | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עֹוכֵר | ע־כ־ר | Qal Participle | Masculine Singular | Substantival subject |
Verbless Clause: וְעֶ֥בֶד אֱוִ֗יל לַחֲכַם־לֵֽב
This is a classic case of a verbless clause (also known as a nominal clause). These constructions are prevalent in Biblical Hebrew, especially in proverbs, poetry, and narrative:
- Subject: עֶ֥בֶד אֱוִ֗יל (“a foolish servant”)
- Predicate: לַחֲכַם־לֵֽב (“to the wise of heart” = “[belongs] to the wise of heart”)
The implied verb here is typically “is” or “will be.” The proverb likely means: “A foolish servant will [eventually become] the servant of the wise in heart.” The clause suggests future subjection without needing a finite verb.
Contextual and Masoretic Insights
The participle form עֹוכֵ֣ר is marked with a zakef qaton accent, separating it as the main subject. The Masoretes distinguished this by a disjunctive accent, helping us see the break between subject and predicate.
The second half of the verse shifts tone and syntax, with וְעֶ֥בֶד starting a new clause, and the absence of a verb (as common in Hebrew poetry) calling the reader to infer relationships through juxtaposition and thematic parallelism.
Wisdom’s Irony: From Wind to Service
The grammar in this verse is more than just form; it is functionally poetic. The participial opening sets a recurring behavior that leads to ironic inheritance—“wind” symbolizes emptiness or futility. Meanwhile, the verbless clause delivers a blow of reversal: the “foolish” ends up subordinated to the “wise.” Both parts rely on minimal syntax but convey deep ethical and societal judgments.
The Silent Verb that Speaks
The power of Biblical Hebrew often lies in what it does not say. Participles paint a portrait of action without tense confinement, and verbless clauses allow metaphors to breathe within minimal structure. Proverbs 11:29 demonstrates both masterfully. For the student of Hebrew, these features offer more than grammar—they invite us into a world where form reflects fate, and syntax becomes sermon.
