| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The proverb establishes an antithetical parallelism between de-rekh {דֶּ֣רֶךְ | də̆-rĕkh} ‘way’ + ʾĕ-vîl {אֱ֭וִיל | ʾĕ-vîl} ‘fool’ and the participial clause introduced by wə-šō-mē-ʿā {וְשֹׁמֵעַ | wə-šō-mē-ʿā} ‘and listens.’ The predicate adjective yā-šār {יָשָׁר | yā-šār} articulates subjective affirmation in bə-ʿê-nāyv {בְּעֵינָיו | bə-ʿê-nāyv} ‘in his eyes.’ The second clause employs a participle of ongoing action to express moral habit: lə-ʿê-ṣāh {לְעֵצָה | lə-ʿê-ṣāh} ‘go to counsel.’ The chiastic balance and tight syntax reinforce the contrast, guiding the choice of “whoever listens” (formal) and “those who take advice” (dynamic) to convey continual character disposition. |