Tag Archives: Proverbs 18:20

Proverbs 18:20 מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־֭אִישׁ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע בִּטְנֹ֑ו תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃ Metaphor in Motion: פִּי־אִישׁ and תְּבוּאַת שְׂפָתָיו This proverb is built on a beautifully balanced metaphor: a man’s words are compared to fruit (פְּרִי) and harvest (תְּבוּאָה). The noun פִּי־אִישׁ (“the mouth of a man”) is in construct form with פִּי (“mouth”) linking directly to אִישׁ (“man”) — meaning “the fruit of a man’s mouth.” Likewise, שְׂפָתָיו (“his lips”) is linked to תְּבוּאָה (“produce” or “yield”), extending the agricultural imagery into the realm of speech.… Learn Hebrew