שִׂפְתֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל יָבֹ֣אוּ בְרִ֑יב וּ֝פִ֗יו לְֽמַהֲלֻמֹ֥ות יִקְרָֽא׃
The lips of a fool come with strife, and his mouth calls for blows.
Explanation of Feature
This proverb from Proverbs 18:6 features:
- Construct chains such as שִׂפְתֵי כְסִיל (“the lips of a fool”), where two nouns are joined in a possessive/genitive relationship.
- A parallelism typical of Hebrew poetry, where the second clause echoes or intensifies the first.
- Use of an abstract plural noun מַהֲלֻמוֹת (“blows”) with a verb (יִקְרָא, “calls”) to express figurative consequence.
Examples from Proverbs 18:6
| Phrase | Structure | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| שִׂפְתֵי כְסִיל | Construct chain (plural noun + noun) | “The lips of a fool” – indicates possession; subject of the first clause |
| יָבֹאוּ בְרִיב | Yiqtol (3mp) + prepositional phrase | “come with strife” – describes the fool’s speech leading to conflict |
| פִיו לְמַהֲלֻמוֹת יִקְרָא | Construct chain + verb (yiqtol) | “his mouth calls for blows” – his speech provokes violent response |
Related Grammatical Insight
- Construct chains express close relationships like ownership or classification:
- דִּבְרֵי חָכָם – “the words of a wise man”
- דַּעַת יְהוָה – “the knowledge of YHWH”
- Parallelism in Hebrew poetry functions to reinforce meaning:
- Line A: “the lips of a fool bring strife”
- Line B: “his mouth calls for blows”
- Yiqtol verbs like יִקְרָא and יָבֹאוּ are used here as gnomic (timeless) statements, expressing universal truths about behavior.
This proverb underscores how a fool’s speech naturally escalates to conflict—both verbal and physical—through poetic and grammatical symmetry.
