Proverbial poetry: its settings and syntax
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various character relationships to material benefits. The thematic tie is very strong. The unit sub-divides into two closely connected proverbial pairs, 10:2-3 and 10:4-5. Brown is correct in observing that 10:1 links itself with this tightly-knit quatrain, via the bi-fold repetition of the term בֵּן (son) in 10:1a, b and 10:5a, b.2 בֵּן envelops this section in an inclusio fashion, although 10:1 itself seems to be held somewhat apart and may play a titular role for the whole section. ____________________ 1Ibid., p. 121. 2Brown, "Structured Parallelism in the Composition and Formation of Canonical Books," p. 8. Proverbs 10:6 בְּרָכוֹת לְרֹאשׁ צַדִּיק Blessings crown the head of the righteous, וּפִי רְשָׁעִים יְכַסֶה חָמָס but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. The boundaries of Proverbs 10:6 are signaled by the contrast at the extremes between בְּרָכוֹת (blessings) and חָמָס (violence). As in Proverbs 10:5, there is a juxtaposing of the middle terms--in this case, where the blessings and violence will fall (blessings/head of righteous//mouth of wicked/violence). The only possible alliterative feature is the final which ends 10:6b concluding the comment on the mouth of the wicked with a hiss (cf. 10:18). There is a thematic shift at this point, for the explicit mention of economic or material substance is not present as it has been in the preceding four proverbs. This thematic shift is also corroborated by an inter-linear lack of literary ligaments between 10:6 and 10:5. Rather, 10:6 will be clearly shown to bond itself to 10:7. Hence, a new multi-verse unit has begun. The two stichs contain the common element of each having a body part joined with a character quality (רֹאשׁA
wicked]). There is a morphological variation between the "righteous" (singular) and the "wicked" (plural). The duplication of the whole of 10:6b in 10:11b should provide a structural clue to this unit. The three-fold repetition of ר, although it may fit the possible parameters for alliteration, does not seem to be significant at this point. However, it may provide a link with 10:7. Proverbs 10:7 זֶכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, וְשֵם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב but the name of the wicked will rot. It is clear that 10:6 and 10:7 are bound by the catch-word בְּרָכָה (blessing). The syntactic structures of the two verses are not altogether different. The common use of the preposition ל in the first stich of each and the repetition of the word רְשַעִים (wicked) in the second stich provide further lexical cohesion. Thus, here again is a lexicaly bound proverbial pair. This pair does not manifest a chiastic structure as the previous two pairs did; rather it has the normal bifid AB/AB form. Thematically they appear more sequentially related than repetitive. Proverbs 10:6 speaks of blessings/violence on the heads/mouths of the righteous/wicked, whereas 10:7 talks about the enduring impact (blessings/rot) of the righteous/wicked. Proverbs 10:7 is a unit in itself. The four-fold repetition of ר is significant--which observation is enhanced by noticing a certain phonetic echoing. The juxtaposing of several palatals (כ, ק) with the liquid ר seems to be more than coincidental and gives the proverb a sonant ring. Thus, one should notice the following sequence כר, רכ, רק. Bostrom observes a less likely echoing in the מ- שׁ, sequence in רְשָׁעִים (wicked) and
Proverbs 10:8 חֲכַם־לֵב יִקַח מִצוֹת The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin. Proverbs 10:8 begins another pair; therefore it is not closely linked to the preceding pair. The lifestyle of the wise is contrasted to the perishing expressions of the wicked. The contrast between לֵב (heart) and שְׂפָתַיִם (lips) is not odd in Proverbs (cf. 10:20, 21). Bostrom notices that the letter sequence לב appears twice in this proverb (לֵב [heart], / יִלַּבֵט [be ruined]; cf. Hos. 4:11, 14 for a similar parallel).1 It is interesting, although probably not significant by itself, that 10:7's (for blessing) also contains a לב sound sequence. The proverb is also semantically bound by the normal pair חֲכַם (wise) and אֱוִיל (foolish). The movement from an active wise action to a passive destruction of the fool provides an interesting sequence. Proverbs 10:9 הוֹלֵךְ בְּתֹם יִלֶך בֶּטַח The man of integrity walks securely, וּמְעַקֵּשׁ דְרָכָיו יִוָּדֶעַ but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. One cannot miss the strong alliterative features of the first stich of this proverb (Prov 10:9). There seems to be a formal pattern here. The double verb ____________________ 1 Bostrom, Paronomasi I den Aldre Hebreiska Mashcalliteraturen, p. 122. repetition in the first stich, with heavy alliteration, is also observed in Proverbs 11:2. The lexical repetition of הָלַך (to walk) in the first stich is accompanied by morphological variations. The first verb-form is a Qal participial while the second is an imperfect. Both verbs are followed by the letter ב. It is interesting to note, however, that the first ב is a preposition while the second, although rendering the same sound, is part of an adverb. The intrigue with this sequence rises further when one observes that, semantically, both of the following ב -words play an adverbial-type function in relation to their accompanying verbs. It is no coincidence that the ב's are then both followed by an equivalent dental sound, although it is represented with two different alphabetic symbols (בְּתֹם [in integrity],
( לך, בת / לך, בט). One final sound binder is added in terms of the closeness of the palatal ך on the end of each verb and the guttural ח which completes the first stich. This palatal repetition is picked up in the second stich (מְעַקֵּשׁ, [oppressing]; דְּרָכָיו, [his ways]). Thus, the proverb is sound-bound even though its stichs are quite diverse syntactically. The semantically paralleled units within the first stich is very tight with the lexical repetition. "The one walking in integrity" forms a parallel for "the oppressor". The presence of דְּרָכָיו (his ways) in the second stich makes a clear connection with the repetition of הָלַך (walk) in the first (cf. Ps. 1:1), although the relationship is more syntagmatic than as equivalent parallel semantic units. Thus, this proverb is tightly-knit via sound and semantic considerations. With its calling for reflection on sound, it is interesting to note that the לב sequence which occurred twice in 10:8 also occurs twice in detached form, in verse 9. Bostrom notices the even more suspicious מ - ת sequence in (lips, 10:8) and בַּתֹם (integrity, 10:9).1 This provides a link between the two verses, although this is rather chimerical. The other clear nexus establishing the proverb pair of 10:8, 9 is the sequence (AB/AB) from the actions of the wise man/man of integrity to the passive forms used to describe the ruin of the oppressor/finding out about the way of the fool. The final common feature is the Niphal verbs which syntactically link these two proverbs into the second pair in this section (10:6-12). Proverbs 10:10 קֹרֵץ עַיִן עִתֵּן עַצֶבֶת He who winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin. Proverbs 10:10 begins a new proverb pair. It is linked to Proverbs 10:9 by the fact that it, too, begins ____________________
vocalic וֹ- ֵ vowel pattern. Like both Proverbs 10:8 and 9, the second stich contains a passive to describe the sad consequence of having foolish lips. Structurally important is the repetition of the whole second stich (10:10b) from Proverbs 10:8b. This link to the previous pair is strong via heavy repetition. The second stich may echo the pattern which tied the two preceding verses together (יִלָּבֵט). This proverb, however, is cast differently from all that precedes it. In all of the proverbs examined so far in this chapter, there has been a clear antithesis between the first and second stichs. In Proverbs 10:10 both stichs, in a rather negative fashion, discuss the ills of the misuse of a body part (a winking eye, foolish lips). Bostrom perceives a sonant chiasm occurring in the צ, ע, י, נ / י, נ, ע, צ of the first stich.1 This pattern is interesting, although whether it is intentional is highly questionable. Proverbs 10:11 מְקוֹר חַיִּים פִי צַדִּיק The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, וּפִי רְשׁעִים יְכַסֶּה חָמָס but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. Proverbs 10:11 and 10:10 are clearly sound-linked in their opening words (קֹרֵץ [winking]; מְקוֹר [spring]). Both proverbs tell of the results of the use/misuse of ____________________ 1Ibid., p. 123. body parts. This proverb (10:11) has several internal cohesional forces. There is a return to a chiastic juxtaposing of the mouth with the antonymic pair צַדִּיק / רְשׁעִים [righteous/wicked]. Again the morphological variation of number is found, in that wicked is plural and righteous is singular. The same logical sequence is discovered here as that manifested in the 10:6, 7 pair, which gives a nominal clause-describing the state in which the righteous are found--contrasted to an active verbal clause--describing what happens to the wicked. The total repetition of Proverbs 10:6b in the second stich (10:11b) is clearly a structural binder. Thus these whole stich repetitions pull the two preceding pairs together, along with this pair, into a six-verse, three-proverbial-pair unit chiastically set off by the repetition of whole stichs (AB/BA; 10:6b, 10:8b/10:10b, 10:11b). While the four-fold repetition of in this proverb fits the standards for alliteration, it probably is not significant. Bostrom observes the מ - ח sequence in חַיִּים (life) and חָמָס (violence).1 This, too, does not seem to be very outstanding. Thus 10:10 and 11 seem to round out the sub-section more with obvious, sectional, cohesive forces than with internal or proverbial pair cohesions. ____________________
Proverbs 10:12 שִׂנְאָה תְּעֹרֵר מְדָנִים Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers over all wrongs. The catch-words יְכַסֶּה / תְּכַסֶה, with morphological variation as a result of the gender of the subject, provide a clear link between Proverbs 10:12 and 10:11 (cf. also 10:6). Bostrom interestingly observes the commonality in sound between פִי רְשׁעִים and פְשָׁעִים, the latter being a collapsed form of the former.1 This does add a sound-bound effect between the two proverbs. The end of 10:11 and the beginning of 10:12 exhibit a tail-to-head anadiplotic sound effect with the sibilant sounds שׁ, ס in יְכַסֶּה (hide), חָמָס (violence), and שִׂנְאָה (hatred). Thematically, however, 10:12 stands alone. In the proverb itself, the usual chiastic effect is obtained with contrasting שִׂנְאָה (hatred) and אַהֲבָה (love) at the extremes with the inner elements מְדָנִים (dissension) and עַל כָּל־פְשָׁעִים (over all wrongs). Thus, there is a clear ABC/CBA mirror chiasm, which also is reflected in the syntactic order (SVO/OVS). This brings to a close the first section (Prov 10:1-12), which includes two sub-sections (10:2-5 and 10:6-11). Proverbs 10:2-5 contains two proverbial pairs on the theme of material possessions. Proverbs 10:6-11 is composed of three proverbial pairs which are clearly ____________________
structured together by the chiastic repetition of whole stichs (10:6b in 11b, and 10:8b in 10b). The singular proverbs in 10:1 and 12 frame the section, which is composed of five clearly marked pairs (10:2-3; 4-5; 6-7; 8-9; 10-11). Thus Brown's collectional units1 are partially correct to this point but only now has adequate rationale been provided to support that hypothesis. Because of the similarities with the latter part of the next section, it is difficult to decide whether 10:12 goes with what comes before or with what follows. It may be that the verse itself is a transitional hinge unit between the two sections. Proverbs 10:13 בְּשִׂפְתֵי נָבוֹן תִמָצֵא חָכְמָה Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment. Proverbs 10:13 carries a four-fold repetition of ב. It both opens and closes with this letter. As has been shown above, initial letters are often significant. Bostrom also points out the positional commonality of in both חָכְמָה (wisdom) and חֲסַר־לֵב (lacks-sense). To these may be added the juxtaposition of sibilant שׁ, labial ב, and dental ת, in the initial word of the first stich (בְּשִׂפְתֵי [in the lips of]) and in the initial word of the second stich (שֵׁבֶט [rod]). While neither of these fit Margalit's ____________________
and Formation of Canonical Books," p. 8. pattern for alliteration, it seems possible that there may be a sound echo effect. Thus, the sound features help explain how this rather semantically diverse proverb was constructed. It should be noted, however, that there is a semantically antithetical contrast of the discerning (נָבוֹן) with the one lacking sense (חֲסַר־לֵב). One could suppose that the proverb was developed out of the juxtaposing of the questions: Where may one find wisdom? (Answer: on the lips of the understanding) and Where may one find the rod? (Answer: on the back of the one lacking sense). Proverbs 10:13 and 10:14 commence the second section with a proverbial pair linked in a bifid AB/AB manner. Proverbs 10:14 חֲכָמִים יִצַפְּנוּ־דָעַת Wise men store up knowledge, וּפִי־אֱוִיל מְחִתָה קְרֹבָה but the mouth of a fool invites ruin. It is clear that Proverbs 10:13 is linked to 10:14 through the repetition of the catch-words חָכְמָה (wisdom) and חֲכָמִים (wise men). As in 10:2 and 3, there is a linking of abstract qualities (righteousness [10:2]; wisdom [10:13]) with those who have attained those qualities (righteous [10:3]; wise men [10:14]). The proverb itself exhibits the contrast between the חֲכָמִים (wise-men) and the פִי־אֱוִיל (mouth of fools). Also semantically involved is the contrast between the wise, who hide their wisdom, and the fools, who openly speak their folly to their own ruin. The first stich discloses the activity of the wise while the second forecasts the results of the fools' actions. It is also interesting that even though the catch-words are so pronounced, there is no real sound-binding. The similar topic of the speech of the wise/understanding binds the pair (10:13, 14) together. Proverbs 10:14 seems to act as a hinge between 10:13 (via the catch-words חָכְמָה [wisdom] and חֲכָמִים [wise men]) and 10:15 (via the repetition of the word מְחִתָה [ruin]). One wonders whether the presence of חָכְמָה (wisdom)/ חֲכָמִים (wise men) at this point provides a structural marker indicating a new section, since חָכָם was also present in the initial proverb of the preceding section (10:1-12, cf. 10:23; 11:2 although 10:31 provides counter-evidence). Proverbs 10:15 הוֹן עָשִׁיר קִרְיַת עֻזּוֹ The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor. Proverbs 10:15 (cf. Prov 18:11) begins another clear proverb pair which is united around the theme of wealth. The catch-word מְחִתַּת (ruin) provides an easy link with the preceding proverb (10:14b). Bostrom correctly observes the sound echo in the repetition of קר in 10:14b (קְרֹבָה [near]) and 10:15a (קִרְיַת [city]). The disparate themes of 10:13-14 and 10:15-16 separate them into two pairs rather than allowing for a quatrain structure. Also interesting is the possible connection between sections as
Proverbs 10:4. The singular suffix used in describing the wealthy and the plural used for the poor reflect a syntactic equivalence (pronominal suffix) and variation (3ms, 3mp) at the end of each stich. Bostrom sees an inverted sound echo in the letters רשׁ in עָשִׁיר (rich) and רָאשׁ (their poverty).1 Proverbs 10:16 פְּעֻלַּת צַדִּיק לְחַיִּים The wages of the righteous bring them life
but the income of the wicked brings them punishment. As one would expect from a pair on wealth, the contrast between the righteous and the wicked is highlighted in terms of the use and ultimate goal to which each puts the wealth. This proverb is not only bound by the usual contrast between the righteous and the wicked, but contains a strong assonance between the initial words פְּעֻלַּת (earnings) and תְּבוּאַת (income). The sound play between the two stichs is furthered by the repetition of the לח sequence in לְחַיִּים (for life) and לְחַטָּאת (for punishment).2 The four-fold repetition of , with three of them in final position, provides an end alliteration ____________________ 1Bostrom, Paronomasi I den Aldre Hebreiska Mashcalliteraturen, p. 124. 2Ibid., p. 124. Again these were found independently and corroborated by a subsequent reading of Bostrom.
features serve as a strong link between the two stichs. The clear semantically "synonymous" relationship between the two fronted words, פְעֻלַת (earnings) and תְּבוּאַת (wages), is reversed by the character of the one who possesses it ( צַדִּיק [righteous]/ רָשָׁע [wicked]). Thus, the focus is lifted off of the common element of wealth and turned instead to the character of the one possessing it. It is the character which determines which of the diverse results will accrue. Proverbs 10:17 אֹרַח לְחַיִּים שׁוֹמֶר מוּסָר Yüklə 6,58 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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